My Favorite Fairy Tale
by Lula
Summary: Merry and Pippin are the best of friends, but when they are not allowed to see each other anymore, everything goes downhill. IT'S FINISHED! With notes and thanks.
1. Unlucky Watermelon Thieves

My Favorite Fairy Tale  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything so far in the story.  
  
A/N: Ah, another story by me. My creative juices were flowing at noon a few days ago and here is what comes from it. Yes, this will be a slash fic and this is my first story concerning hobbits, especially those two that some girls just can't take their eyes off of: Merry and Pippin.  
  
Writing is enjoyable; reading reviews is enjoyable; taking flames to the garbage can is just tiring.  
  
  
  
"Do you see it yet, Pippin?" Merry asked anxiously. He had been holding up his cousin on his shoulders for the past ten minutes, and his body was really feeling the weight bearing down on him. Above him, Pippin was trying to reach one of the windows of Farmer Maggot's house. Every minute Merry took a quick glance around to see if the Farmer's dogs were close, but they were not anywhere in sight.  
  
"No. Can you move a bit closer, Merry? I can't reach the window," was the answer from above.  
  
"Not with my pie-pinching cousin standing on me."  
  
"Well, it was your stupid plan!" Pippin argued. "We did not have to steal any pies from Farmer Maggot's kitchens today, ya'know! And you are bigger than I am, so stop complaining and move!"  
  
Merry mouthed Pippin's words to himself in abject annoyance while shaking his head, over-exaggerating his cousin's argument. "Fine then, Pippin. Here we go."  
  
Pippin nodded in satisfaction. "Okay, no. No, that is too far. Move back a bit. Ah! Merry! Stop that! Stop that now!"  
  
The hobbit on the bottom did a dance-like pattern of steps quickly, making Pippin flail his arms around to keep his balance.  
  
"Mer. Merry, stop!"  
  
"Oh, but Pippin. I thought you said move, so I am moving!"  
  
"Merry! Merry, stop it. Please stop," Pippin begged from above. Pippin was already nervous enough with the height he was at, but Merry moving like that just made it ten times worse.  
  
"Please Pippin. Relax. It is fun if you stop worrying!"  
  
Pippin shook his head. "No, it is not. Not to me! Merry, stop, please. Stop it!" Pippin cried in a last attempt to break through his cousin's ignorance.  
  
Merry paused his feet and looked up at Pippin, who was shaking like a leaf in the wind.  
  
"Did I really scare you that much, Pip?"  
  
"Yes. Merry, just please put me down. Please put me down," Pippin replied, barely above a whisper.  
  
Merry nodded. "All right, Pippin. Hold on. Oomph!"  
  
Merry barely had time to breathe as he lost his footing and fell, Pippin landing harshly on top of him and knocking all of the air from his lungs. Pippin made a small squeal, scrambled to his feet quickly and tried to help Merry, saying "I'm so sorry" over and over again. His cousin only brushed away his hands.  
  
"I am all right. Whew. Just need some air, that's all," Merry breathed as he lay still on the long grass. "I am surprised that I am not smashed like a pancake with you falling on me like that!"  
  
"Are you calling me fat?" Pippin asked indignantly, sitting next to him.  
  
Merry nodded and received a playful punch on the arm for it. In response, he knocked Pippin to the ground and started tickling him with a fervor.  
  
"Merry! Ahahahahahahahaha! Stop, ahahaha. Merrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyy!" Pippin cried in between giggling and vain attempts at inhaling oxygen.  
  
Merry smiled to himself. "Pippin, you are just too ticklish sometimes!" With that he let go of his young cousin, who rolled around on the grass until he had gotten over his giggling-fit and sat up facing Merry.  
  
The older of the two dropped his smile momentarily. "I am sorry if I frightened you, Pippin, when you were in the air. I did not mean anything by it," he apologized.  
  
Pippin nodded. "Just do not do it again, Merry. Please, just tell me that."  
  
Merry only nodded as he stood. "Of course, Pippin." He smiled at his cousin and nodded towards the watermelon patch. "We can at least get some watermelon while we're here."  
  
Pippin giggled again. "Well, it will not be a total loss."  
  
Each one grabbed a medium-sized watermelon that could fit in the crook of his arm and started walking away, but soon shouts came from behind them.  
  
Pippin gave a knowing look to Merry. "Farmer Maggot!"  
  
The two troublesome hobbits made off with the watermelons, but not before hearing Farmer Maggot laughing uproariously after them.  
  
  
  
When they found themselves in a quiet grove they sat down and let silence creep over them a moment, until Merry asked what was on both of their minds.  
  
"What do you think he was laughing at?"  
  
Pippin shrugged. "I do not know. Maybe he smoked too much pipe weed."  
  
Merry nodded. "I s'pose so. Come on. Let us see to these juicy things!"  
  
He proceeded to pound the watermelon against a sharp rock until it had split open halfway and pulled the rest open. Pippin did the same.  
  
Both looked at each other in stunned silence and back to the fruit they held in their hands. Inside the shell of the watermelons, they found the most green, dry, unripe fruit they had set eyes upon yet.  
  
"He knew. He knew," Merry muttered as he flung the unwanted fruit to the ground and marched off, pausing a moment to make sure Pippin was following. 


	2. To Party Or Not To Party

Chapter Two: To Party or Not To Party  
  
Disclaimer: Story mine; characters not mine; reviews are yours to give.  
  
If you want to know the time this takes place, it is about ten years before the fellowship start the quest, when Pippin is about eighteen: kind of young in hobbit years.  
  
  
  
It was early evening before they reached Brandyhall and everything was buzzing with excitement. A party was to be held in honor of the good harvest collected in the early fall, and everyone was too busy to stop and chat.  
  
Merry opened the front door and let Pippin inside the front hall. The servants of Buckland ran around trying to set up last minute preparation before the guests would arrive.  
  
"Come on, Pip. We had better stay out of the way until tonight. Let's go to my room," Merry suggested as they walked through the extensive halls of the holes that made up Brandyhall.  
  
Once they arrived in Merry's bedroom, both flung themselves onto the bed and sighed.  
  
"So, what do you wanna do?" Merry asked.  
  
"I don't know. What do you wanna do?" was his answer.  
  
"All right, let's not start that again. Remember how the last time went?"  
  
Pippin smiled. "I remember that all right, Merry. How about we take a nap? I'm tired."  
  
Merry nodded. "I am too. A nap sounds nice."  
  
Pippin closed his eyes and hugged the blue pillow that he had declared his. "Mum's going to take me home after the party tonight. Too bad I can't stay another day."  
  
"You have already spent three days here. Your family needs to see you sometime, ya' know!" Merry replied as he stroked Pippin's curly hair gently.  
  
Pippin grinned again and purred as Merry's fingers stroked his earlobe. "Mmhmm," he agreed and soon was softly snoring as his older cousin curled up beside him.  
  
  
  
Most of the guests had already arrived by the time the two best friends had awoken. They scrambled into clean clothes and went outside to join the party.  
  
"Well hullo, Melilot! I didn't know if you were coming or not. Can I get a hug?" Merry asked the five-year-old hobbit-girl. She smiled and leapt into his arms, her light blue dress frills flouncing behind her.  
  
"Sure, Merry. Can I get a dance?" she asked and dragged him out by the hand to the ring of dancers on the lawn.  
  
Pippin was also talking to some of the guests near the tables of food that lay out on the white veranda. Colorful decorations were found everywhere. Vines of red and gold leaves wrapped around the white columns and orange lamps on strings were tied to the lowest branches of the small oaks surrounding the yard. The tables had yellow, orange, and red tablecloths.  
  
The setting anyone could call beautiful, but the food was beyond words. Pippin could barely see an inch or two of the table underneath the enormous stacks of delicacies. Salads, sliced meats, vegetables, fruits, cakes, cookies, drinks, pastries, the occasional wine bottles, and many other things lined the long tables.  
  
"And I says to him, 'Sir, you need a guard dog in that kitchen' and he tells me he already has one: his wife! Well, look at that! If it isn't Andwise Gamgee and the Gaffer."  
  
Pippin only smiled as the older hobbit rambled on about something or another, not really listening. He looked over to where Merry was dancing with that little girl in the blue dress. What was her name again, anyway? Mentha. no, no. Melilot. That was it.  
  
He turned to his left and suddenly became very pale. Pimpernel! "What is she doing here? I thought she was grounded, and because of me." Pippin muttered and slipped away into a crowd of dancers.  
  
He was in no way ready to face her wrath just yet. "Not tonight. Not until I at least leave this house!"  
  
  
  
After much wine had been drunk and food eaten and dances danced and music played the party came to an end, but all of the guests stayed for ten minutes more and thanked Saradoc and Esmerelda for a wonderful time that evening.  
  
Pippin had had trouble finding Merry throughout the three hours of the grand party, and when he did find him those two times Merry was too busy greeting guests to talk.  
  
So, for most of the time, he stood near the adults and listened to their conversations without them noticing him.  
  
"Esmerelda, you do not know how charming your Meriadoc is! He is such a little gentleman!"  
  
"Oh, why thank you. I do not know whom he gets that from, really. Saradoc never behaved in such a manner unless he was told to!"  
  
"That Pippin is quite a charmer too. That one takes right after his father, no doubt about it!"  
  
At that comment Pippin smiled. So those phrases Merry taught him did help...  
  
"Pippin and Merry are inseparable! It is good to see such a close knit friendship like theirs."  
  
"Yes, quite. I hope they stay that way for the rest of their lives. It is always good to have a person to share everything with. It has helped Merry so much. Pippin is his only best friend, besides that Frodo of Bag End and that Sam Gamgee. They are nice little gentlemen too. And there they are now!"  
  
Pippin grew tired of their conversation. So he looked to where Frodo was and went to join him.  
  
"Hullo, Frodo. What are you up to?" Pippin asked.  
  
Frodo turned around at his voice and smiled. "Pip! I'm good. You?"  
  
"Good. Merry is busy so I have just been wandering around for a while. I'm a little bored."  
  
"Really? Merry has been looking for you for a while now. But I guess he is really busy with greeting guests. He is going to be the Master of Buckland someday, after all."  
  
Pippin looked down at the ground and sighed. "I guess so."  
  
Frodo noticed his sudden despondency and put an arm around his shoulders. "But he will still have plenty of time for the future Thain of the Shire!"  
  
"Thanks, Frodo," Pippin replied with a smile. "I hope he will... Isn't it time for the party to end?"  
  
"Peregrin! We must go home now," Pippin's mother, Eglantine, said as she walked up behind him. "Go get your bag and come out to the carriage. We will be waiting. Oh, why hello, Frodo. My, you look handsome! It seems I could not find Saradoc or Esmerelda, but please give them my thanks."  
  
With that she turned and headed across the lawn to the carriage.  
  
Four minutes later, Pippin hurled his overnight bag onto the back of the carriage.  
  
"Hurry, Peregrin. It is getting late," his mother urged him.  
  
"All right, can I just say good-bye to Merry? Please?" Pippin asked.  
  
Eglantine hesitated for a moment, but complied. "Go ahead, but be back within five minutes!" Pippin nodded his thanks and ran to find Merry, but did not need to run far. Merry was standing on the front porch gazing at him as he raced across the front yard.  
  
"I have to go. But I will see you soon, Merry," Pippin said and stepped closer to his older cousin to be pulled into a warm embrace.  
  
"All right, but it has to be soon!" Merry replied into Pippin's curls of brown of hair. He let go of him and watched him run to the Took's carriage. "Bye, Pip!"  
  
"Bye, Merry!" Pippin shouted as he ran across the lawn.  
  
Inside the carriage Pippin's father, Paladin, sighed and twiddled his thumbs as he watched his son be embraced by Merry.  
  
"I'm going to have to talk with him soon," he muttered to himself before Pippin hopped in the carriage and the driver urged the ponies to leave. 


	3. A Father's Decision

Chapter Three: A Father's Decision  
  
I love reviewers, especially mine! Thank you so much. You're great, really. There will be Pippin angst in this chapter, and quite a bit in the others following. I might revise this in a while.  
  
Disclaimer: Let's see. Pippin, nope, not mine. Merry, no, not mine either. *Sniff* What is mine? The story of course!  
  
  
  
It was late by the time the Took family arrived in Tookland. Pippin was the first into the house, followed by his sisters and parents.  
  
"Pippin, we need to talk," Paladin requested. "But, we'll do it tomorrow morning. I think we all need some sleep right now."  
  
Pippin nodded. "All right, Paddy. Good-night." With that said he departed to his bedroom.  
  
"Sweet dreams," his sister wished as he passed her.  
  
"Sweet dreams to you too, Pervinca."  
  
  
  
Once the children were in bed, Paladin and Eglantine retired to the sitting room.  
  
"That Saradoc has cheated me for the last time," Paladin declared as he stared into the crackling fire from his velvet lounge chair.  
  
Eglantine sighed in annoyance. Her husband could overreact at the smallest of things and was quick to make false accusations and presumptions. She looked up from the dark blue dress she was sewing and replied, "It was just a mule, Paladin. Anyone could have made a mistake like that."  
  
"Not Saradoc! He knows what is mine and what is his. He did it deliberately. I just know it! That Brandybuck cad!"  
  
Giving up, Eglantine focused on the seams she was sewing once again. "He is so difficult," she muttered as she poked through the material and stabbed in again, only to prick herself in surprise when her husband suddenly proclaimed, "Peregrin should stop playing with that son of his."  
  
"Why, Paladin! Why ever would you say that?" Eglantine exclaimed sucking on her poked thumb.  
  
"He spends too much time over there. We are his family. We should spend more time with him than those Brandybuck fools. Besides, he needs to start learning, attend to his studies, and grow up. He can never receive that playing silly games with the boy and stealing from Farmer Maggot and what else not. I think."  
  
"Paladin, those are things that boys like him do. He is just a child!" interrupted his wife.  
  
"Still, I do not like it. I will not permit this. Besides, you have seen how close he is to that boy. That could start some nasty rumors about our son and our family. Peregrin needs to learn about society, Eglantine! He is old enough to know about that, at least. And as his father I will not allow it to go on like this. If he doesn't learn now, it could be too late."  
  
"Too late, Paladin? Oh," Eglantine exclaimed, putting down her needle and resting her head in her hand. There was no arguing with Paladin in this mood. 'I will have to talk to him tomorrow,' Eglantine concluded, "before Peregrin's heart is broken."  
  
  
  
Morning came bright and early and Paladin, determined as ever, was awake with it. Eglantine was still sleeping from the night before. The party had really worn her out, especially after all of those polite dances the other hobbits kept asking her for. Saradoc had been entitled to quite a few, Paladin remembered. "The cad is trying to steal my wife, I bet. I'll show him," he said to himself.  
  
Paladin sat at the table eating first breakfast and waiting for Pippin to wake and come eat with him. Pippin was an early-riser usually, since the late morning was always his time to go out and do some mischief, and he made sure to eat first breakfast still hot from the stove.  
  
Sure enough, Pippin strolled into the dining hall with a plate of eggs, toast, and broiled ham and sat down at the other end of the long, polished wooden table. Paladin faked a smile and continued eating.  
  
"You wanted to talk to me about something, Paddy?" Pippin asked when he finished his first breakfast. His father nodded.  
  
"Yes, I did. Perhaps the study would be better for that," he said and stood from his padded wooden chair, walking to his study with Pippin following behind him.  
  
  
  
Merry sat on one of the wood benches overlooking the Brandywine River, twirling a blue trumpet flower over and over in his fingers and humming nothing in particular. The green leaves of the trees surrounding the river were quickly turning a deep yellow color, turning the summer to a fast approaching autumn.  
  
Merry smiled and started plucking the dark blue petals from the flower. "She loves me not. She loves me. She loves me not. He loves me. She loves me not. She loves me. She loves me not. He loves me."  
  
  
  
Pippin sat quietly in the red velvet-lined chair in front of his father's desk as Paladin thought of how to begin. He was pacing behind his desk, at an almost loss for words.  
  
"Are you going to say something, Paddy?" Pippin asked innocently. Whatever it was, it seemed he was in big trouble by the way his father was acting. 'I hope he didn't find out about the cookies that we stole last week. But it was Merry's fault anyway!' Pippin mused as his father stopped pacing.  
  
Paladin turned to him. "Huh? Oh yes. Indeed. Pippin, um. You do know that, well, hmmm. How to put this." Paladin said partly to himself as he thought of something. "Well, you do know that it is common society for a woman and man to love each other, don't you?"  
  
Pippin pulled a disgusted face. "Yes, I know."  
  
'Well, maybe I had better get that *other* chat in while I have the chance,' Paladin inquired as he sat in his chair and proceeded to explain to Pippin as best as he could the certain changes that boys go through.  
  
Pippin stared at him wide-eyed as he listened to his father. Something had sparked his interest.  
  
"What about with other boys?" he asked as his father paused.  
  
"They go through it the same as any other does," Paladin answered.  
  
"No, I mean. Well, never-mind," Pippin replied and quieted back down to listen. Paladin finished his speech, ignoring his son's last statement.  
  
"Do you see now, Peregrin?" he asked.  
  
Pippin nodded. "Uh huh."  
  
"Good, now for what I really wanted to talk about this morning."  
  
Pippin sighed and slumped in his chair, taking a quick look at the small clock on the right of the desk. It had already been twenty minutes, and not a very comfortable twenty minutes at that!  
  
"Go ahead, Paddy," Pippin replied. He sighed and twiddled his thumbs. 'How long will this take? I want to go find Merry soon,' he pondered.  
  
"Pippin, I want you to promise something. Promise that anything said in here will not leave this room."  
  
"Paddy? Is something wrong?"  
  
Paladin shook his head. "Just promise."  
  
"All right, I promise."  
  
"Pippin, to put this plainly. You need to spend more time at home and learn something."  
  
Pippin sat up. "Well, that is fine. If you want, I will stay in the evening and."  
  
"No, Pippin," Paladin interrupted. "It isn't just that. You see, well. You need to stop playing with that Merry. At least for a while."  
  
Pippin felt dumbfounded. "W. What?"  
  
"You are no longer allowed to see that Brandybuck boy."  
  
Tears came to Pippin's eyes as a stir of emotions flooded his brain. "But. Da. Well, why not? I like Merry! He's my best friend," Pippin tried to explain without his voice cracking.  
  
"You just cannot anymore," his father replied. "And that is final!"  
  
"No, it is not final!" Pippin cried out in distress.  
  
"Yes, it is. You are always over there. When was the last time you spent a full month at home?"  
  
"I. I don't know."  
  
"Well, I do. And the answer is never! At least not since you were very young. We are your family. And as long as you live in our home, you obey our rules. And the new rule is no contact with that Merry!"  
  
"Paddy," Pippin yelled as he stood up. "Merry is my friend. I should be able to at least see him!"  
  
"The two of you are too close!" Paladin shouted as he stood up also.  
  
"That's how best friends should be! Mum says."  
  
"No, it is not. And don't bring your mother into this. Go to your room. You're grounded," Paladin finally said, exasperated.  
  
Pippin stood there for a moment, silent in complete shock. "How could you?" he replied in a shaky voice, barely above a whisper.  
  
With that said he ran blindly out of the study and plummeted through his bedroom door. He stumbled upon the left side of bed and lay down, burying his face in the white cotton pillow to control his racking sobs. 


	4. Heartbreak

Chapter Four: Heartbreak  
  
A/N: Really bad plotbunny case!  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing owned but the story.  
  
  
  
"Merry, you have been in there for two hours! How long is it going to be?" Esmeralda asked her son through his bedroom door, her patience wearing thin as thread. Merry opened it and stepped out, donning his new dark green overcoat and light green vest with frills.  
  
His mother motioned him to turn, and he did reluctantly. "It looks like I'm a cabbage!" Merry replied as he stopped.  
  
"Oh nonsense. It looks fine. I might need to take in a few more inches from the sides, but you are free to go," Esmeralda stated as Merry breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
He went back in his bedroom and changed into his usual yellow shirt and green frock coat. The floor of his room was cluttered with random articles of clothing, books, and blankets, and he stepped around them as he made his way out of his room. It had been three days since the party of the harvest and Merry was already missing Pippin's bright smile of mischief.  
  
Esmeralda caught sight of the mess scattered throughout the floor and commented to Merry as he passed, "That is going to be cleaned eventually, right?"  
  
Her son nodded. "Yes, eventually." He turned and headed for the main hall of the left front door.  
  
Merry opened the front door, calling to no one in particular that he would be back soon. He strolled down the gravel path and headed for his desired location: Tookland.  
  
  
  
Pippin stared blankly into the full-length mirror, reflecting on how worn out he looked. He hadn't done much the past three days, just sit in his room and try to read or something.  
  
He turned and examined his face, noticing how pale and yet how red it looked. His light brown curls of hair hung limply around his face and the once bright blue eyes were now a dull faded color. He noticed he was becoming thinner, probably from the lack of food.  
  
The whole day after Paladin had made his judgement, Pippin could barely touch a bite. He missed second breakfast, elvenses, and luncheon because he refused to leave his bedroom until his tears stopped and he looked a little decent. By early evening he had calmed down enough to come out and eat dinner, but even then it was hard to chew it. Yet somehow Pippin managed to eat most of what was on his plate with great concentration and excuse himself from the table early. And since that time the most that made it past his lips was four meals in two days.  
  
A loud knock on his door made him turn his head slightly and say in a weak voice, "Yes?"  
  
"It's Pervinca. Can I come in?" answered the familiar voice of his sister.  
  
"Sure."  
  
The door opened and Pervinca walked in, shutting the door behind her. "Pippin, I was going to go buy some things in Hobbiton and I was wondering if you wanted to come."  
  
Pippin shook his head. "Can't, remember. I'm grounded."  
  
"Still? You must have really done something bad. You don't look too good. If Mum were here instead of visiting the Bracegirdles, she would make sure you ate more. Do you want me to get you something?"  
  
"No," Pippin replied as he dropped his stare to the ground. "I'm fine. Pervinca?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Uh.. Nothing," he answered and clambered onto his bed. "Never mind."  
  
Pervinca nodded and briskly walked out of his room, closing the door after herself, muttering about male hobbits and their "phases". Pippin sighed and lay down once more. A dull throbbing pulsed through his forehead, and he closed his burning eyes. Perhaps some sleep would help it fade.  
  
  
  
A few hours later, Pippin awoke and found the throbbing headache gone, and in its place were fatigue and chest pains. He sat up drowsily, trying to gain a better sense of his surroundings. His elbow bumped something on the nightstand.  
  
"Oh, my journal," Pippin mumbled as he picked the leather-bound book up and turned to one of the early pages, starting to read it. Usually it would have been out of sight where his sisters could not see it and tease him about it, but there it lay quietly on his bedside table.  
  
Dear Journal,  
  
Merry and I raided Farmer Maggot's tomatoes today. It's Merry's birthday tomorrow. I'm so excited! I found a pendant four days ago in the dirt while I was walking and I cleaned it up. I think I'm going to give it to Merry as soon as I find a chain for it. That might be a while, and Mum would kill me if I took one from her. I know Merry will love it.  
  
Pippin smiled at that memory. Merry did love it. Anytime they were together he always wore it. The pendant was a silver rose with bronze leaves and it glittered with a beautiful light whenever the sun hit it just right.  
  
He turned further pages and read more of his entries. Most were happy, but Pippin found one that made him frown.  
  
Dear Journal,  
  
Today was bad. Merry and I were carrying water to the kitchen. The water was boiling and it was hard to hold onto. It slipped and splashed Merry and burned him! Ms. Evangeline said he would be fine, but he had a lot of bandages around his hands and I tried to apologize, but he just told me to go home. I hope he is not mad at me.  
  
Pippin put down his journal and put his head in his hands. A dizzy spell suddenly took him by surprise and he steadied himself and breathed deeply until it passed.  
  
Once he knew he could walk, Pippin stood and sauntered towards the door, pausing when he heard voices down the hall.  
  
He put his ear to the door and strained to listen, his eyebrows about disappearing underneath the bangs of his hair as he comprehended the words.  
  
Merry reached Tookland and knocked on the front door. The door opened and revealed Paladin.  
  
"Oh, Meriadoc. Just the one I wanted to see. Come in, come in.." Paladin greeted as Merry stepped into the main hall.  
  
"Where is Pippin, Mister Took?" Merry asked, getting quickly to the point.  
  
"Just what I wanted to talk about! You see, well, to get to the point, oh.. How can I say this?" Paladin muttered to himself, scratching his chin.  
  
Merry smiled. "How about with words, sir?"  
  
Paladin chuckled. "A fine wit you have there, Merry. But, well.. Um.. Pippin is.. not.. well."  
  
"Not well?" Merry asked worriedly.  
  
"Yes. Well.. sort of. You see, Meriadoc, Pippin needs a break from certain things," he tried to explain.  
  
"What 'certain things'?" Merry inquired hesitantly.  
  
Paladin sighed. "He needs.. time from things like.. well.. you, Meriadoc."  
  
"What?" Merry inquired in disbelief.  
  
"Pippin needs to stop seeing you as often. Maybe not at all for a while."  
  
"But.. But.." Merry stammered. "Doesn't Pippin like me anymore?"  
  
Paladin nodded. "Yes, he still likes you. But.. I feel it is getting a bit too much for Pippin, and he needs a long holiday, if you catch my meaning."  
  
Merry looked up from the floor with a slight fury and bewilderment in his eyes. "From me? Hmm.. That could be."  
  
'When I can fly,' Merry thought to himself bitterly. 'This does not make sense.. Why does Pippin need to be away from me? We haven't done anything wrong! Is Pippin mad at me?' After a few moments he spoke again. "This is Pippin's idea?"  
  
"No, actually I have recommended it for him."  
  
"Hmm.." Merry could not think of anything to say that would help his situation. Perhaps Pippin wanted this, Merry considered. Perhaps Pippin hated him now and didn't want to see him again. Meriadoc hoped it was not true, but doubt quickly began to tumble within his mind.  
  
Pippin couldn't believe any of this was happening! His head was sticking out the slightly opened bedroom door, but his body was still mostly inside his bedroom. He stared in complete shock as his father told Merry that they should stop playing with each other.  
  
He could see Merry's look of disbelief twisting the round carvings of his face and almost wanted to run out and jump into his arms. But something invisible held him in place, making a temporary paralysis throughout his small body. He wanted to see what happened next. Maybe Merry would go looking for him and ignore his father?  
  
Merry turned his head to another angle and noticed Pippin at the end of the hall. His look of disbelief turned into something else- pain, confusion, and anger churned into one emotion. Something Pippin would have cringed at if not for the stiffness throughout his body. Merry took one last look at Pippin, turned, and without so much as a polite good-bye hurried out the door with his thoughts racing through his brain.  
  
Pippin snapped back into his room and clenched one fist, trying to make his feet start running in the right direction. One hand covered his mouth to stop a loud sob from escaping. His mind was fighting a severe battle with two sides of his thoughts, and the logical and emotional one was losing.  
  
"Run after him! He needs you!" that side screamed. Another side argued, "No, he doesn't want you anyway! He hates you!"  
  
He slid down the wall until he was sitting upon the green carpet. His bottom lip trembled and he shook with silent sobs, his battling mind and the pain in his heart making him go numb. 


	5. Plans

Chapter Five: Plans  
  
A/N: Thank you, reviewers! You're all so wonderful- so keep reviewing! This is a little shorter than what I wanted it to be, but this will be okay I suppose.  
  
Disclaimer: Not anything owned by me right now except the plot and words.  
  
  
  
It was a few hours past dusk when Merry stepped through the front door of Brandy Hall. Within the past few hours Merry sat under one of the crab apple trees and watched the Brandywine River glide steadily downstream, the evening sunlight dwindling as the bright golden ball of flame dropped into the distant horizon. He had not really been focusing on the water, but on the now cruel realization of what had happened earlier.  
  
Welled up tears refused to pour out as Merry thought about all that he had lost in one day. At first he had refused to believe it, that perhaps it was all a dream and he would wake up to find Pippin snuggled up beside him snoring like a newborn baby. But this was no dream.  
  
Merry had waited until the sun could barely be seen over the western hills before he packed up and headed home, silent the whole way. The cold started to set in earlier than yesterday and Merry wished that he had taken a cloak with him.  
  
Warmth hit him again as he walked through the hall to find the fireplace still containing a crackling fire. He sat down in the wooden chair a few feet from it and watched it for a few minutes. His hand went over his stomach as it gave a deep grumbling sound.  
  
"Oh yes, I missed supper," Merry mumbled to himself as he rolled out of the chair and sauntered towards the kitchens. He grabbed some cakes from one of the pantries and heated some tea and sat down at the counter to try to account for a lost supper.  
  
He nibbled on one of the cakes as he looked around the kitchen. The remains of dirty pots and pans, plates and cups in the sink were all that was left of the supper that he had missed. Something on a chair caught his eye and he reached toward it, pulling out a small baby blue blanket. Merry's eyes widened as he recognized it, and he clutched it to his chest tightly. The trapped tears finally rolled down his cheeks and tiny sobs broke through as he rested his head against his arm on the table, his shoulders beginning to shake.  
  
"Merry! What's wrong, sweetheart?" asked a familiar voice.  
  
"Mum.. I.. Pip.. Ah, uh.. Snff.." Merry choked out as he sniffed and sobbed.  
  
Esmeralda rushed to her son's side and pulled him into her arms, rocking him back and forth. "Shh, honey. Now what's wrong?"  
  
Merry held up the blanket for a brief second before he pulled it back down and held it tightly in his arms.  
  
"You're crying over a blanket? Isn't this the one from your room?" Merry nodded and buried his face farther into his mother's shoulder. "Honey, there is no need to cry over a blanket.."  
  
"No, it isn't that," Merry interrupted as he pulled back and hiccuped. "It.. It was Pip.. Pippin's." He hiccuped again and sniffed. Esmeralda rubbed his back and waited for him to explain further. "I never *hic*.. Never returned it," he continued.  
  
"If that is it, we can go over there and return it tomorrow." Esmeralda tried to calm Merry down so he could explain more of what he was trying to say.  
  
He shook his head. "Pippin hates me!"  
  
Esmeralda was seriously confused now. "Why?"  
  
"I don't know! I went over his house and Mister Took said that he couldn't see me and that.. that.. Oh, Pippin must hate me!"  
  
"Pippin can't hate you, Merry. Why would you think that?"  
  
Merry wiped the tears from his face. "Well, Mister Took said that Pippin was not well, but I saw him at the end of hall. He looked fine to me, so he must be making it up to get rid of me!"  
  
"Oh, Merry.." Esmeralda started. "Perhaps you need some time away from here." She set Merry gently down into the chair again. "Your father is going to Marmadas's house in two days. You should go with him- there's a new baby."  
  
"But.. Isn't Da going to be gone for a few months?" Merry asked.  
  
Esmeralda nodded. "Just for two months. He'll be back by Foreyule. You could go have fun with your cousins there."  
  
Merry half-smiled as he dried his tears on the blanket. "Distant cousins you mean. I barely know the three girls, besides Melilot."  
  
"You'll have fun anyway," Esmeralda replied. She helped Merry stand up and smiled at him. "Maybe when you come back, Pippin will come around. How about you get some sleep? You might feel better in the morning."  
  
Merry nodded. "All right. Goodnight then.. Uh, is Da going to be all right?"  
  
"Why do you say that, Merry?" Esmeralda asked, but soon received her answer when she heard the gruesome sounds of someone spilling out the contents of their stomach coming from their bedroom. "He'll be all right. Just had a little too much wine, I guess."  
  
Merry nodded. He turned and walked down the hall, still clutching the blanket to his chest. "Night, Da!" he said as he walked past the door of the bedroom.  
  
In response more noises came from inside the bedroom as Merry made his way to bed.  
  
  
  
His frail heart was shattered to bits and the tears constantly streaming from his eyes proved it.  
  
Pippin locked his door with a click and sat on the bed. He stayed there for hours, staring at the ground. His sobs wracked his body until he could not weep anymore. "I'll run away," he muttered. "I'll run and find Merry and live with him and everything will be all right cause we will be together and I won't be alone."  
  
What if Merry wouldn't take him back? Or if he did, could he stay with Merry? Maybe Merry would run away with him and they could live together somewhere in a secluded part of the shire. Pippin nodded to himself. What if his parents found out, and they made sure he couldn't even speak to Merry? Everything seemed hopeless.  
  
'Perhaps I have already lost him,' thought Pippin. "I probably have," he muttered and stood. Nothing was working out for him. "Merry must hate me. Probably thinks I am a worthless little hobbit, or too young for him, or too stupid.. Or maybe he thinks I am a burden or queer for liking him.. Everyone hates me.. I'm so alone." He sighed. "I'm so alone," he whispered and another tear slid down his face.  
  
Suddenly he took a step back. "Don't think like that, Pippin Took!" he half- yelled at himself. 'You will not get Merry back acting like this. You want Merry back at any cost, don't you? Just think- his arms around you, whispering in your ear that everything will be all right, getting rid of your pain, his beautiful eyes looking into yours. Now think!'  
  
He scratched his chin and paced around his room. "I believe I am getting a mental problem.. Wait, I know!" he exclaimed. A plan was slowing piecing into his mind. 


	6. Suspecting, Talking, and Planning

Chapter Six: Suspecting, Talking, and Planning  
  
A/N: I need to be faster on my updates, don't I? I thought I had better get this in today. School starts tomorrow and I'll be swamped with getting into that routine, and waking up early in the morning.  
  
  
  
Saradoc sat in the dining room the next morning with a cup of hot tea and a book. He idly swung his legs over the chair arm and rested his left elbow on the table while holding the book in his right hand. He hummed and sipped his tea, too wrapped up in the book to hear the approaching sound of humming.  
  
"Do you have any table manners at all, Saradoc?"  
  
Saradoc almost jumped out of his skin at this sudden statement, about spilling his tea and knocking over the saucer on the table. "Oh, Esmeralda," he said, realizing who was speaking. He sighed as his wife sat at the opposite side of the table. "No one is around that would really care."  
  
Esmeralda smiled. "Well, I would care if you broke that chair!" Saradoc turned around to face her. "All right. You win, like usual." He closed his book and set it carefully on another chair. "Is Meriadoc still sleeping?"  
  
"Yes, I let him sleep in. He had a late night yesterday," she replied as she tapped her fingernails on the tabletop. "Something especially odd is up."  
  
"Oh? What?" Saradoc asked.  
  
"Well, last night Merry came home in tears, and all he would say was that Peregrin doesn't seem to like him anymore."  
  
"Really?" Saradoc asked, almost surprised. The two cousins had had quite a few arguments in the past, but not serious enough to make his son weep over one.  
  
"Yes. But I believe there is something else going on. And I don't believe Merry knows about it."  
  
Saradoc scratched his chin. "Well, I would say you're right. Peregrin would not stop playing with Merry for no reason. And I think Paladin has something to do with it."  
  
Esmeralda nodded. "I think so too. I am going to go have a talk with him this afternoon. Perhaps I can get to the bottom of this soon enough." There was a short pause. Saradoc glanced at the clock as he took another sip.  
  
"Did you ask him yet?"  
  
"About what?"  
  
"My trip."  
  
"Oh, yes," Esmeralda replied. "Yes, I asked him last night. I believe he will go.. Speaking of last night, how are you feeling?"  
  
Saradoc patted his stomach. "All right now. The alcohol went out of me a few hours ago."  
  
  
  
Throughout the day Merry stayed in his bed. He wanted to sleep, but he was at the point of being too tired to actually sleep. He had not slept much last night and today he was feeling miserable. Wrapping himself in his blankets Merry closed his eyes and hugged his pillow tightly. Nothing could stop thoughts of Pippin from coming, no matter what he tried.  
  
A knock pounded on his door and he turned towards it. "Yes. What is it?" The door opened to reveal Hildibrand Deeptunnel, one of the many guests staying at Buckland for the autumn season and another friend to Merry. "Merry, are you all right?"  
  
"Yes. I suppose.. Why do you ask, Hildi?"  
  
"Well, it's just.." He started to explain, but paused a moment to conjure what to say. "Well, some people are saying some rumors- not that I believe them- but, you see, I'm just sort of-"  
  
"Worried?" Merry finished and smiled as he sat up. "Sit down here, Hildi. I need to ask you something."  
  
Hildibrand sat down on the foot of the bed and waited for what Merry would say next.  
  
"Have you ever felt a serious attachment to someone else? And then you lose them and you can't stop thinking about them?"  
  
Hildibrand half-grinned. "A few times. Why? Is that what has happened to you?" Merry nodded. He looked into Hildibrand's warm hazel eyes and almost smiled at the care in them. "Oh, you poor thing. Heartbroken over some fair young lady, no doubt. Do not worry. These things happen all of the time. Try to focus on someone else and forget about her."  
  
Merry shook his head. "I have tried. I cannot do it, Hildi."  
  
"Well, who is she? Maybe I can help."  
  
Merry shook his head. "Doesn't matter now anyway. He- uh, Heeeeildi, she hates me!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Something that happened. I do not know really."  
  
"Then go to her and apologize for whatever you did!" Hildibrand shook his head in amusement. "Love really blinds some people," he muttered as he stood and walked towards the door. "I'll see you later."  
  
Merry nodded, lay back down and closed his eyes. They shot open again as he repeated what Hildibrand had said. "Love?"  
  
  
  
Pippin smiled as he looked at himself in the mirror. He had done almost everything to look like himself again. 'For Merry,' he mused as he turned. His hair was washed and brushed so his curls of hair stuck out just right. His eyes were still a bit red and dull, but that would be fixed with a little sleep. He still had one more day of being grounded before he could set foot outside. At first he had contemplated on sneaking out that day and going to Merry's, but then logic came back to him. What if someone found out he was gone and then his sentence would be even longer? That meant he didn't have a chance of seeing Merry.  
  
He nodded in satisfaction and walked out to the kitchen where Pervinca was making eggs for second breakfast. "Hallo, Vinca!" Pippin exclaimed as he sat at the table.  
  
"Hallo yourself, Pippin. Well you look happy. What is up?" she asked as she glanced over her brother's appearance.  
  
"Oh, nothing. Just this and that, ya' know," he replied idly as he swung his legs over the chair.  
  
Pervinca just shook her head and lay a plate of scrambled eggs in front of her brother. "All right, keep your secrets. I know something happened to make you so happy, but if you will not tell me, all right. I have ways of finding things out, you know."  
  
Pippin laughed and chopped up his eggs. "As long as Paddy won't find out, I'll tell you."  
  
Pervinca sat on the edge of her chair and leaned towards Pippin. "So what is this little secret?" she asked in a conspiring low voice.  
  
"I'm going to see Merry tomorrow."  
  
Pervinca raised her eyebrows. "And why is that a secret?"  
  
"Well, you see," Pippin started as he swallowed, "Paddy said that I couldn't see him anymore." He almost smiled as Pervinca jumped out of her seat.  
  
"What!" she exclaimed. "How could he do such a thing? No wonder you have been so sad lately!"  
  
Pippin nodded. "Don't tell Paddy."  
  
Pervinca smiled. "Pippin, your secret is safe with me!" 


	7. Brawling Mothers and Memories

Chapter Seven: Brawling Mothers and Memories  
  
A/N: I finally wrote more. I survived my first week of school. It went by really fast! Since my reviewers are so nice, I made this one extra long.  
  
  
  
The gray afternoon clouds broke and evening was slowly coming on by the time Esmeralda knocked on the Took's front door. The round door opened to reveal not Paladin, but Eglantine.  
  
"Why, Esmeralda! I wasn't quite expecting this visit." She smiled and motioned her inside. "Come in, and welcome!"  
  
Esmeralda stepped inside as her sister-in-law stepped back. The door closed behind her, and she followed Eglantine to the kitchen. "I was wondering if Paladin was here. I need to speak with him."  
  
Eglantine shook her head. "He is not here at the moment, but you can join us for a snack while we wait."  
  
She went into the pantry for a second and hurried back with jam and bread. The iron kettle above the fire was steaming in minutes. "You know Esmeralda, I have been wanting to visit you for sometime now. I missed you at the party. Saradoc had so many nice things to say about you. But Paladin is always in a hurry, as you know, and I hadn't the time to say good-bye or thank you."  
  
She pulled the whistling kettle off of the fire and poured the tea into the cups on the table. Esmeralda sat in a chair and accepted her tea. "That is all right, dear. Tomorrow I have Brandy Hall to myself for two months. Saradoc and Merry will be leaving tomorrow to visit Marmadas."  
  
Eglantine nodded. "That is good. Merry must be looking forward to seeing his cousins again. Pippin would love to go see those three little Brandybuck girls. Not to mention Merry."  
  
Esmeralda nodded slowly. "That is what I was wanting to talk about. Have you noticed if Paladin has been acting strangely?" She paused a moment. "Well, I mean, more strange than usual?"  
  
Eglantine thought a moment. "Well, he has been more bitter since his fight with Saradoc. But, as I always say, boys will be boys and Paladin will be Paladin!"  
  
Esmeralda nodded. She remembered when she was still young and lived with her brother, and she agreed with Eglantine. "Paladin was always a bit quick to temper. But perhaps you have seen a change in Peregrin?" she asked hesitantly.  
  
"No, though if there was I think I would notice it," Eglantine replied, sipping her tea. "Well, you must admit Eglantine, your children do seem to cause a bit of interruption around the shire, if you do notice that."  
  
Eglantine furrowed her brow. "Well, if I remember correctly, Meriadoc isn't such a cream puff himself!"  
  
Esmeralda stood up in an instant. "Are you questioning me as a mother?" Her sister-in-law smiled and replied with a hidden mocking tone. "Well, Esmeralda, I am sure you are a good mother, if it calls for it."  
  
Esmeralda returned a fake smile. "Well all I have to say is," she started, her smiled dropping into a sinister face, "what is that supposed to mean?"  
  
Eglantine shrugged. "Well, if you let your child associate himself with some of the most roguish hobbits in the shire, I think-"  
  
"Well I think you're wrong!" Esmeralda shouted. "And you make bad tea!"  
  
Eglantine gasped and stood. "Bad tea! If you want bad tea, go back to your home and make some! Not to mention your other cooking skills."  
  
Esmeralda stamped her foot and marched to the door. "Don't bother coming over for dinner anymore!" she shouted over her shoulder and slammed the front door with not so much as a farewell.  
  
  
  
Sometime later, Merry sat on his bed reading a book when a loud knock pounded on his door. He looked up towards the sound. "Yes? Who is it?" "Your father. I need to speak with you, Merry."  
  
Merry sauntered to the door and opened it. "Is there something wrong, Da?" Saradoc shook his head. "No. Nothing is wrong. I was wondering if you were coming with me tomorrow."  
  
Merry thought a moment. He had forgotten all about the trip until now. "Uh, well... Yes. Yes, I am."  
  
Saradoc smiled. "Good. I had hoped you would say that... Merry, there is another thing I wanted to ask you."  
  
Meriadoc looked up at his father. "What?"  
  
"Well, I have been talking to your mother and-"  
  
"It isn't what you think, Da," Merry explained quickly.  
  
"Actually I'm trying to find out what I should think. What happened between you and Pippin?"  
  
Merry looked to the floor at the sound of that name. "Well, Mr. Took said Pippin needed a break and that I shouldn't come around anymore or talk to Pippin!"  
  
"Did he say anything else?" Saradoc asked as he put his arm across his son's shoulders.  
  
"Well, not that I can really think of. He said Pippin was ill, but he looked all right to me!"  
  
"You spoke to him?"  
  
"Well, no. I saw him at the end of the hall. Then I just left."  
  
Saradoc nodded. "Hmm. I see. Well, you had better get packed. We leave tomorrow morning at nine."  
  
Merry nodded. "All right, Da." He shut the door again as Saradoc left. Then he plopped down on his bed and hugged his pillow. "Oh, Pippin. Why?" he whispered as he buried his face in his dark blue pillow.  
  
A loud noise from a few halls down made him sit up. He stepped out of his room to where other noises were coming. When he reached the sitting room, he found his mother pacing up and down muttering a long stream of insults towards someone. His father was sitting trying to understand what had happened.  
  
"Esmeralda dear? What is wrong?"  
  
She turned and saw Merry leaning on the doorframe. Her pacing stopped and she sat on a dark green lounge chair, calming herself. "Eglantine and I had a little argument. But I don't want either of you going down to Tookland anytime soon."  
  
Saradoc nodded. "I was not planning to. Paladin is still angry about the mule, I guess."  
  
Esmeralda shrugged. "Being Paladin, probably. I did not speak to him." Merry sighed and walked back to his bedroom. His mother did not find out what was wrong with Pippin, obviously, and he almost felt like sitting down and crying.  
  
"Pippin wouldn't want to talk to me. He hates me." Merry lay back down on the bed and closed his eyes, soon falling into a dreamless slumber.  
  
  
  
Morning came bright and early. Merry rubbed his eyes and sat up looking at the clock. It was eight thirty in the morning. He thought a moment. Something was happening today.  
  
It came back to him suddenly as he scrambled out of bed, still in his clothes from yesterday. He was leaving in a half an hour, and he had forgot to pack! He quickly found his travelling bags at the back of his messy closet and threw them on the floor. He began tossing clothes into the bags and his hairbrush and some of his books, and his writing tablet that he kept beneath the bed. He double checked around his room and threw anything else he thought was important for two whole months into the bags. He checked around his bed for the one thing he really wanted.  
  
He pulled it out from underneath his pillow and set it gently on top of the pile. Merry felt the fine cloth of the tiny blanket, seeming to memorize every thread. A memory long since passed returned, and he smiled as it came back to him.  
  
************  
  
Merry was eight years old, jumping up and down at the excitement of having a new cousin. His aunt Eglantine had had her new baby, and he couldn't wait to hold him.  
  
He peeked over the bed at his aunt, cradling the little bundle in her arms. She quietly motioned Merry over to her side. He did so hesitantly and peeped at the little hobbit sleeping in his mother's arms. He was so tiny! "Can I hold him?" Merry asked.  
  
Eglantine nodded. She slowly placed the baby into Merry's arms, showing him how to hold the newborn. Merry smiled down at the cute baby as he sat down. The little one had a cheeky face, with light wisps of light brown hair on his head and a contented expression. He was wrapped in a little white blanket made of very soft fabric, which snugly fit around him. Merry rubbed his thumb across the baby's cheek and then along the cloth. The baby's skin was as soft as the blanket.  
  
"What is his name?"  
  
Eglantine smiled. "Peregrin."  
  
************  
  
Merry clutched the white blanket for a while, lost in the many memories of when Pippin was tiny enough to hold in his arms. How that little thing had captivated him! The day that his little cousin was born, he made a silent promise to the little one sleeping in his arms that he intended to keep: "I will always protect you from harm, and hold you close when you cry, and be your friend forever. I will stand by you when no one else will. I love you, Pippin." And he had kept it.  
  
A knock on the bedroom door snapped him from his thoughts. "Merry, are you ready?" his father called through the door. Meriadoc sighed and stood. "Yes. I will be there in a minute!" he replied, latching his bags closed.  
  
  
  
Saradoc could be heard giving last minute orders to the servants of Buckland throughout the halls as Merry headed to the carriage. He threw his bags in the back of it and sat down as Saradoc sat next to him. "Where is Marmadas's home, anyway?" Merry asked as he slumped back into the seat.  
  
"In autumn and winter, he moves his family to his other home south of Michel Delving."  
  
"Uncle Marmadas has two homes? South of Michel Delving? We are going that far?" he asked as the information processed in his brain.  
  
"Yes. We will be stopping in Hobbiton to find an inn tonight. Perhaps we can stop by Bag End and see Frodo also."  
  
Merry nodded. He hoped they would stop by Bag End. His older cousin always had helpful advice on some matters, and maybe he would help with the situation Merry was in with Pippin. 


	8. Too Late

Chapter Eight: Too Late  
  
A/N: This is a little short for my liking, but this should do for a post.  
  
It was four hours past noon when Pippin stepped outside into the fresh air. He inhaled deeply and spun himself around twice, joyful to see the sun again. It would only be three hours until he would set out on the trail and carefully sneak off into the night.  
  
He idly strolled down the path leading west of Tuckborough, and finally reached the deep green fields of Whitwell where his father was the head farmer. Here he stopped and looked around for a bit, searching the land for someone. A straw hat peeped out of the tall tomato crops and soon was followed by a young hobbit around Pippin's age. The hobbit sighed and dusted off the dirt that had stuck to his trousers.  
  
Pippin smirked and yelled out, "Picking tomatoes again today, Nibs?"  
  
The hobbit turned around at Pippin's voice and smiled. "Master Peregrin, well if it ain't a welcome surprise!" he exclaimed and disappeared under the tomato crops, only to reappear a few feet from Pippin. The hobbit lad had blonde curly hair and a cheerful face with round cheeks and fair green eyes. Pippin smiled and went to hug him, but the hobbit held up his hands. "I doubt you ought to be doing that, Master Peregrin. Don't want to see your pretty clothes getting all ruined and soiled, do we?"  
  
Pippin shrugged. "My clothes always get dirty no matter what I do, Carl. And please, I prefer Pippin. I wanted to ask you something."  
  
"Well, ask away Master Per. uh, Pippin."  
  
"Have you seen Merry lately?"  
  
Carl thought a moment. "No, not lately. But I think I have heard of some of his doings within the past few days."  
  
"Oh? Like what?" Pippin asked, pretending to be half-interested when really his whole being quivered for news of Merry.  
  
"Well, there has been talk that he is going away with his father for quite a while. They were sposed to go today, but that might have been delayed a while. Bucklanders ain't ones for rushing things, for sure."  
  
Pippin rocked on his heels. "Where are they going to?"  
  
Carl shrugged. "I don't know really. I said what I heard."  
  
Pippin nodded. "Well thank you, Nibs. I really had better go. Getting pretty late, you know. Good-bye!"  
  
With that he started along down the path again. Carl sighed. "At least tomatoes aren't hard to figure."  
  
  
  
Pippin walked a little ways more and once he was sure no one was able to see him, he turned left and sped off towards Buckland. His heart was pounding at least a hundred beats a minute. He was filled with excitement and longing for the feel of his best friend's arms around him and Merry's soft whispered words of comfort in his ear, yet hoping against hope that Merry had not left already and that his best friend would take him back after the recent events.  
  
After twenty minutes of dodging around from corner to corner and making sure no one had noticed him, he came to the swiftly flowing Brandywine River and crossed the stone bridge without making too much noise. All that could be heard of him was his shallow breathing and the quick patter of his hurrying feet.  
  
He raced quickly across the path, almost subconsciously knowing every dodge and turn of the road leading to Buckland. Around an hour later he finally reached the first doorstep of Brandy Hall, and with his heart and head as light as a feather knocked on the round wooden door. One of the servants who had heard opened the door to find Pippin with his hand up in the air ready to knock again.  
  
Putting his clenched hand back down, Pippin said, "Oh, hello. Is Merry around? I need to speak with him."  
  
"I am sorry, dear. Young Master Brandybuck isn't here. He left this morning and will not be back for a while yet."  
  
"How long?" Pippin asked.  
  
"He won't be back until Foreyule," she replied. "I don't know where they left off to, either. You had better go home. It is getting late and I need to see to my duties." With that she shut the door, leaving a terribly shocked Pippin on the doorstep.  
  
"Two months!" Pippin wailed inside. "I can't live without him a whole two months!"  
  
With those thoughts he trampled blindly back home through the surrounding darkness, his feet as heavy as his heart.  
  
  
  
Eglantine had searched everywhere for Pippin, but no luck. She at last gave up and sat down at the kitchen counter, noticing Pervinca near one of the pantries.  
  
"Pervinca, have you seen Peregrin?" she asked. Her daughter turned at her voice.  
  
"Oh, mum. Pip... Pippin uh, hmm. He said he was going to find Carl Cotton. Probably over in Whitwell."  
  
"Well then, I'll go look for him," Eglantine replied as she stood and went to find her coat.  
  
"Well actually, Mum," Pervinca started. Eglantine came back into the kitchen. "Pippin should be back within the hour. I told him he should be home by supper."  
  
Her mother nodded. "Well, if it is that soon then I guess I will wait. Speaking of supper, do you know what the cooks are preparing?"  
  
Pervinca shrugged. "No."  
  
Eglantine turned, but paused a moment. "Oh, by the way, Pervinca. I don't want any of you children going around Buckland for the time being. Or for that matter crossing the bridge!" Her daughter only nodded, keeping a calm veil over her face as she quickly made a lament up for Pippin to sing at his funeral. 


	9. A Job For A Baggins

Chapter Nine: A Job for a Baggins  
  
Wow, I updated. I am very tired right now, but I finished this chapter. More to come soon, just this for right now. It will start getting interesting again in a while. I already have the full planned story outline written.  
  
**************************************** It was beginning to become dark when a wagon came to a halt near the door of Bag End. Two hobbits jumped out and walked up to the round door. They had only to knock twice before the door swung open revealing a rather somber-looking hobbit, who immediately turned cheerful as he identified the two visitors.  
  
"Merry! Master Brandybuck! If this isn't a pleasant surprise!" he cried rushing to greet them.  
  
"Well, Frodo, it is indeed. But what had made you so melancholy earlier?" Saradoc asked, shaking Frodo's hand.  
  
"The S.B's."  
  
"Ah," both father and son replied, nodding their heads.  
  
Frodo smirked. "Luckily for you, I had a window put in the study that allows me to see who is at the door. This past week I've had at least three, er, visits from them. I doubt I would have opened the door again to see Lobelia's face."  
  
"I wouldn't have either," Saradoc laughed, remembering the last time he saw her face.  
  
"Well, come in," Frodo replied after a moment. He stepped aside and let them pass.  
  
"We don't mean to barge in, Frodo, unexpected. But we were just passing through Hobbiton and decided to visit," Saradoc explained.  
  
"Oh no, I have been quite bored, actually." he replied, shutting the door. "Why were you passing through?"  
  
"We're heading to Marmada's house down near Michel Delving. I'm afraid we won't be long. We're staying at an inn, tonight."  
  
"An inn!" exclaimed Frodo. "No, no. Why don't you stay here tonight? I have the room, and I wouldn't mind having you two." He looked pleadingly at Saradoc.  
  
The Bucklander nodded hesitantly. "Well, if it is all right with Meriadoc-" "It is!" Merry replied gleefully.  
  
"All right then, Frodo. I will go fetch the bags and be right back."  
  
  
  
After a wonderful, late supper had been eaten and Saradoc had went to bed early, Merry and Frodo lay together on the dark blue rug near the fire, having a little talk.  
  
"I don't know what happened, Frodo. I haven't had any news of Pippin since that day. I've practically been out of my head trying to figure out what I did wrong."  
  
Frodo nodded as he processed this new information. By the way Merry was speaking, he could almost guess how much heartbreak his poor cousin was going through. "Merry, I don't think you did anything wrong."  
  
"Then why-"  
  
"Listen, Merry," Frodo interrupted. "I know you strongly believe it, but I don't think it was by Pippin's choice that you were told to stay away." Merry gave him a look that said to continue. "If I know Pippin, which I do, I think he would have told you himself. But he didn't. His father did." He nodded at Merry, trying to make him catch the hint. Unfortunately, Merry's face held a very blank expression, meaning the hint had flown right over his head. "Uhh," Frodo breathed, frustrated at his cousin's denseness. "I believe it was Paladin's decision, and only his, to keep you away from Pippin."  
  
"But why would he do tha-"  
  
"I don't think it had anything to do with you. From the chat that has been going on about it, I think Paladin is still angry at your father for selling his mule."  
  
Merry nodded. "Perhaps, but why wouldn't Pippin have contacted me by now if that was true? And why would Uncle Paladin try to do something like that if he was angry at my father?"  
  
This time Frodo shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe he felt threatened or something by you. And Pippin might have been grounded or ordered not to talk to you. You never know what is going in that mind of his. I'm sure he will get over it within the next week. I hope anyway."  
  
"Oh, well you're a real help, Frodo!" Merry muttered, crossing his arms and going into one of his stubborn moods.  
  
Frodo almost smiled. "Well, I answered your other questions, didn't I?"  
  
"But you don't know it they are true or not," Merry argued.  
  
"Yes, but I have a strong suspicion."  
  
Merry was quiet for a while, staring off into the crackling fire. Frodo waited for him to speak again, gazing intently at the emotions swirling in Merry's rich honey-colored eyes. Merry had uncrossed his arms and rested an elbow next to him on the floor with his head in his hand. His face held an emotion too difficult to determine, with his lips slightly parted and his eyes flickering as they reflected the flames of the hearth. Merry broke his own silence when he suddenly spoke. "Maybe you're right."  
  
"Of course I am. You know what old Bilbo used to say, 'Frodo, you have a well-balanced head, a smart mind, and a healthy appetite.' Of course, I don't have a well-balanced head anymore from all the weight I've been putting on it with my healthy appetite."  
  
This made Merry chuckle a bit. Frodo smiled, being delighted that he had eased some of his younger cousin's tensions. He yawned and stretched, looking at the clock. "Well, shall we call it a night?"  
  
Merry nodded. "Yes, I am a little tired. We have been talking for three hours!" They both stood and gathered up the pillows and blankets they had set on the floor.  
  
Merry laughed a moment as a thought popped into his head.  
  
Frodo looked up at him. "What?"  
  
Merry shook his head. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about that time when Pippin was about eight or nine years old and we spent Yuletide here. Pippin decided he wanted to sleep out here and wait for the gift wizard to come."  
  
"Gift wizard?" Frodo asked, a bit amused.  
  
"Bilbo had told him there was an old wizard who had a giant bundle of gifts that slipped into hobbit's homes during the night on Yuletide and gave gifts to good little hobbits. Anyway, Pippin decided he wanted to see the gift wizard for himself so we slept out here on the rug with some pillows and blankets. He fell asleep within an hour and literally started sobbing when he realized he had missed his chance the next morning."  
  
"Oh, I remember that. And we all gave him extra presents that year out of pity. And he tried the same sob story the next year, trying to get another round of more presents. Ha! We tied him to the chair when we realized what he was doing."  
  
"And we left him like that all day. I even had to spoon-feed him like a two- year old so he would stop yelling about being hungry," Merry added, smiling as he saw the little form of Pippin tied with cord to the lounge chair struggling to free himself. He was all right though. Merry thought he actually liked being tied up. His parents did, anyway.  
  
"Well, let's get to bed before I fall asleep standing!" Frodo remarked, heading to his bedroom.  
  
Merry nodded. "Good-night, Frodo. Sweet dreams."  
  
"Sweet dreams to you, too," Frodo yawned and closed the door to his bedroom.  
  
Deciding he was exhausted, Merry walked over to the guestroom he was staying in and fell on the bed, too tired to think about anything else besides his comfy pillow. 


	10. Letters Unanswered

Chapter Ten: Letters Unanswered  
  
A/N: Yay! I finally willed myself to write another chapter. Thank you, reviewers and readers, and enjoy. But I warn you, this is far from over.  
  
  
  
The morning came quickly, and Meriadoc Brandybuck dreaded it. He wished he could stay at Bag End in that safe haven with Frodo. Yet, no matter what he wished, they were leaving and going far. Their travel bags had been hurled into the back of the carriage and the pony was once again hitched to it. Saradoc had said farewell to Frodo and thanked him for the umpteenth time before taking his spot in the carriage. Merry stood on the doorstep of Bag End with Frodo, saying good-bye.  
  
"Frodo, if you see Pippin, please tell him that I miss him and that... that I hope he could forgive me for walking out on him, if he'll listen."  
  
Frodo nodded and hugged Merry. "You take good care of yourself, dear Merry. And don't worry about Pippin. I'm sure he will come around. I will tell him where you are staying so he can write to you if he wants."  
  
"And I will write to him," Merry replied as they pulled away. He nodded. "Thank you, Frodo. I do not know what anyone would do without you!"  
  
Frodo smiled. "Fine with me. I will see you in a few months, Merry."  
  
"Bye, Frodo." Merry turned around and started walking to the carriage. He sat down next to his father and waved solemnly to his elder cousin as the carriage took off down the road, disappearing into the morning mist.  
  
  
  
Days went by, countless days. The leaves fell from the trees in red, yellow, and orange colors, growing less and less upon the branches of the trees. Cold winds of the north blew in and chilled the air.  
  
It had been a full month since that day Meriadoc had left Frodo upon the doorstep. The day had passed slowly for many, until the night came. It was the eleventh of October, and much hustle and bustle there was that night. For there was a party to be held in the honor of the marriage of Palarhad Hozler and Marigold Erving. The guests were seated accordingly to family name and relation to the newlyweds. Every hobbit there could not have walked away denying that they had a splendid time.  
  
At one of the last tables and farthest away from the front sat Frodo. He smiled as he watched the dancers weaving in and out around each other. In that moment he had no desire to dance, just sit there.  
  
Across from him sat Pippin. Had it been any other time Frodo would have expected Pippin to be laughing merrily and running through the helpless dancers, testing how many he could make trip. Perhaps he would have been snatching more food or doing some sort of mischief . . . with Merry. Yet that was the reason why he was sitting still, nothing left of a smile upon his face. Merry.  
  
Frodo glanced at him and frowned. "Pippin," he started, turning toward the young lad. Pippin, seeming to notice him for the first time that night, looked up to meet with Frodo's eyes. "Pippin, are you all right?"  
  
Pippin looked down again and shrugged his shoulders. Frodo sighed and leaned over towards him, taking his cousin's chin in his hand and raising his head to keep eye contact.  
  
"Have you written Merry yet?"  
  
Pippin nodded immediately, choosing to keep silent.  
  
"When was that?"  
  
Thinking back awhile, Pippin hesitantly answered, "Three weeks ago."  
  
"You sent it?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Did you get an answer?"  
  
Pippin shook his head sadly. Frodo was about to ask something else but Pippin beat him to the punch line. "I wrote him three times and sent them all, but I haven't received any letters yet. Not from..." He trailed off and looked down again after Frodo released his chin.  
  
Frodo sighed and thought to himself. Nothing made sense to him. If Pippin had written and sent letters to Merry, then Merry should have answered. He would have received them about five days after Pippin had sent them, so he should have written back by now. He shook his head and looked back to Pippin, his expression going from thoughtful to worried.  
  
Pippin kept looking down at his hands, evidently trying to hide the fact that tears were leaping to his eyes. Frodo stood and walked over to Pippin, giving him a small hug of comfort. The young Took buried his face against Frodo's sepia jacket.  
  
"Pippin, Merry still loves you-"  
  
"No, he doesn't. He would have answered me by now. He promised to be there for me. He promised..." Pippin replied with heartbreaking desperation. His words were slightly muffled by Frodo's jacket, but they were still understandable. Frodo was silent for a moment, sympathy for Pippin welling up in his heart.  
  
"Pippin... Pippin, please don't blame Merry. Merry probably did write you. The letters probably ended up lost in the post office somewhere or something. You know how slow they are." He gently stroked Pippin's curly hair, becoming silent.  
  
Pippin allowed himself to be comforted by Frodo, but his older cousin was a small comfort. He sniffled as he felt Frodo start stroking his hair. It was what Merry used to do when he comforted him. He mentally kicked himself and told himself to stop thinking about it, all the while keeping quiet.  
  
  
  
His tears finally dried, and he sat up in Frodo's arms, slightly abashed. "Thank you," he replied as he broke away from Frodo, hurrying off in some direction, though he really didn't care which.  
  
Frodo sighed and sat down. His cousins' troubles were starting to wear him thin with patience. He reached over and popped open a bottle of wine. "Maybe they can work it out themselves," he muttered and downed a glass of the purple liquid.  
  
Pippin stopped in his tracks after walking across the lawn to the other side. Marigold, or Mary as most people like to call her, was sitting three feet away. Pippin smiled as he looked over her dress, finding it very pretty.  
  
Mary glanced up and smirked. "Hullo, Peregrin."  
  
"Marigold," he replied. He stepped forward as Mary hugged him. She ruffled his hair as he pulled away.  
  
"So how is my third-cousin? Not too bored, I hope."  
  
Pippin shook his head. "Oh, no. Of course not, Mary. You know I just *adore* weddings and formal parties and the like," he stated, speaking and posing like his sister Pearl had done so many times before.  
  
Mary laughed out loud for the first time that night, seemingly. "Pearl would be very proud, I'm sure. But, really now, are you bored? I certainly am."  
  
"Why are you bored at your own wedding?" Pippin asked, surprised she had said that.  
  
"Well, let's just say it seems my new husband is a very social creature, with other people."  
  
Pippin had a very confused expression. "If you didn't like him, why did you marry him?"  
  
Mary sighed. "I didn't have much choice," she muttered solemnly, but suddenly realized where she was again and smiled at Pippin. "Anyway, I think they are going to put on a play soon, so you can go and watch that. I have to go, but I will see you later." She stood and walked off to where her sisters sat.  
  
Pippin shook his head. "I just don't understand some people." He turned around and walked off to find his own family. 


	11. Not So Merry Writings

Chapter Eleven: Not So Merry Writings  
  
The dark night shadowed the countryside quickly, making it colder than it had been. The cold, crisp air swirling in short zephyrs was harsh to the lungs and chilling to the bones like cold steel. White flakes of snow twirled in wide circles over the ground as though it were a white desert, while up in the night sky were millions of seemingly tiny stars, accentuated by the black canvas in which they were set.  
  
Sounds of a horse's canter, the only sound for miles, echoed in the desolate surroundings even though the tufts of snow upon the road softened it. An ebony-colored pony came into view, pulling along a small carriage behind it. The thin wheels glided over the glazed dirt path without much sound, almost hushed as to not awaken the softly snoring hobbit lying in the backseat covered by thick, warm blankets. He sighed and turned on his side, lost in the far-off place of his dreams.  
  
A small, thin book that had been lying underneath him was pushed out over the seat, landing upon the floor of the carriage with a muffled sound. The leather-bound book opened upon impact and the low wind began turning the worn pages slowly. It stopped turning upon a page in the middle and lay there, revealing the somewhat messy handwriting of its owner and the words of the events over the last few months.  
  
October 3rd, 1408  
  
Those three girls will not leave me alone! Ever since I have been over here at Marmadas' house, I have barely had a moment to myself. Which might be a good thing. It keeps me from thinking and remembering. You should hear of their antics! Last night, Mentha set the cat, Snuffles, for a late night run, but nobody knew it would come back with three dogs on its tail. That cat ran throughout all of the halls while the dogs chased it, knocking everything down it their path. We eventually grabbed hold of the dogs and threw them out, but the mess was gigantic! And then, three days ago from today, which would have made it Friday, I think, Melilot put a wad of feathers next to my nose while I was sleeping. I woke up in a crabby mood that morning! Then the day after that, she put extra pepper in my luncheon, which she knows I can't stand. And then, when she thought I wasn't looking, she put daisies in my hair. But, she's so cute that I can't yell at her. She reminds me of, well, someone I used to know. Anyway, I need to sleep. It is nearly eleven o'clock! Good-night. -Merry Brandybuck  
  
October 17th, 1408  
  
I'm afraid not much happened today. It is calming down a lot since Mentha left for her aunt's house. I don't really know who the aunt is. Probably one of the Bolgers. You know, I'm actually surprised that Marmadas would remarry to a Bolger. Speaking of Bolger, I wonder how Fatty is doing. Probably as fine as ever. Melilot has still kept me a bit busy. I have been thinking lately. I decided that it would be best if I faced my problems. Well, that and I've been talking to Para, the cook. She can be very friendly when you get to know her. She told me to face my problem head on, but frankly I can't yet when I am so far away. I told her about him. She said that he must be a very special person. He is. I haven't heard a word about him yet. Frodo said that he would give Pippin the address to the smials, but I haven't received any letters yet. Well, I have to go, but I shall write later. -Merry Brandybuck  
  
November 2nd, 1408  
  
Things are very quiet around the smials these days. They're not as nice as Buckland, or Brandy Hall for that matter, but they are nice all the same. I can't sleep sometimes. It's hard to control your dreams, I guess. Especially when the thing you've been trying to forget is the only thing that you think about. Well, speaking of sleeping, I have to do that. I'm sorry this is short. No letters yet. -Merry Brandybuck  
  
November 11th, 1408  
  
I can't sleep, tonight. Another bad dream, I guess. There is a bad cold going around, and I have it! It should be gone within the next few days, but I am absolutely miserable right now. My nose is all stuffed. Para has been taking care of me. Oh, she's coming right now, but I will write soon. -Merry  
  
November 27th, 1408  
  
I have been doing some serious thinking lately. It all makes me angry, for some reason. Oft, I find myself worrying about Pippin. I want to go back to him, but I know he wouldn't take me back. There is too much time to think here, I swear. I do not need to think. I need to keep busy. I just need to stop thinking about him. Perhaps he has forgotten about me. He wouldn't though, would he? Not so soon, at least. Maybe he is just a bit angry. I shouldn't have walked out on him that day, but what could I do? I was in too much shock to hear that my best friend couldn't, and probably doesn't want, to see me anymore. When I get back, I'm going to straighten this whole thing out, because I am sick of not knowing! I will, really. I was thinking about writing him a letter, and I started writing it. It's not bad so far. I don't think I'll send it though. I might. Well, anyway, I'll write later. -Merry  
  
December 15th, 1408  
  
It will be Yule soon. I can't wait! The day after Yule, Da and I are going back to Buckland! I will miss this place, but I'm going to see the three girls anyway when they come back to Buckland in spring. Well, I thought I would just drop a line or two, but will write near Yuletide. -Merry  
  
December 28th, 1408  
  
This week has been the busiest I have yet to see. We started the celebrations early. Sadness is easy to come by, even with so much cheer surrounding me. This is the first Yule I have ever spent without Pippin since I was eight years old. I hope to see him soon, if I can speak to him. We are set to leave in three days, on January 1st. I hope to set the new year to a good start. -Merry  
  
The small carriage shakily ran over some rocks, making the journal close.  
  
** Thank you for your nice reviews so far, and please, keep on reviewing. 


	12. Feuding Findings

Chapter Twelve: Feuding Findings  
  
"Mr. Merry!" cried a cheerful Samwise Gamgee as he spotted the hobbit looking out the window of his carriage.  
  
"Sam!" Merry yelled back as he motioned the driver to stop the horses. "Sam! I haven't seen you in a half-year! How have you been?"  
  
The gardener shook his head happily. "Oh, absolutely fine, Mr. Merry. How was your stay at old Marmadas' winter getaway?" he asked as Meriadoc jumped out of the carriage and came to him.  
  
"Oh, it was all right, I suppose. Nothing really bad happened. I'm still alive and have all of my hair, surprisingly."  
  
Sam motioned to the door. "Mr. Frodo has been wondering when you would come back. He has something to tell you. Well, I guess I could tell you it, but Mr. Frodo has a better way of explaining things than I do. And you best hear it before you get to Buckland."  
  
  
  
Frodo paced around nervously in front of the dining table. Merry watched him from his seat, waiting for Frodo to speak. Finally, his older cousin turned to him and looked him in the eye. "Merry, did your father come with you in the carriage?"  
  
Merry shook his head. "He took another carriage a few days ahead of me. He should be at Buckland already."  
  
Frodo nodded. "Well, you see, Merry. While you were gone, things started to heat up between your family and the Tooks."  
  
The young Brandybuck raised an eyebrow. "Heated up?"  
  
"Well, it started with the argument, you know. And that was fine when you left in September, until it reached about mid-October. It seems your mother had an argument with Mrs. Took a while back before that, and then some of the Bucklanders damaged a few of the crops over at Whitwell by setting their cows loose to graze. Then your cousin, Terioloc I think, or it could have been Perioloc, one of the two, started spreading rumors about the Tooks. And, you know, this whole business with you and Pippin hasn't helped anything very much. And, believe it or not, even after this whole affair has happened, Paladin is still angry about the mule! Well, you know how Paladin is. One tiny thing can set him off, but this has outraged him. So it has been officially declared that there is now a feud between all Brandybucks and Tooks."  
  
Merry almost fell out of his chair. "Oh, great. Just great! Here I was, expecting to come home to quiet Buckland and maybe patch things up with Pippin and get on with my life, and now there is a feud?!"  
  
Frodo shook his head. "Well, you don't have to worry too much. It is more of an ignorance feud than a violent feud. You know, like what happened a few years ago with the Bracegirdles and Proudfoots."  
  
"Uh, Proudfeet," Merry replied. "But don't compare it to that. That feud lasted three years!"  
  
Frodo chuckled. "I don't think yours will be that long. Though, it is something like that."  
  
"So you mean our families are now completely separated? Oh, no." His hand raised to his mouth in utter shock. He turned back to Frodo and became serious. "What about Pippin? Is he all right?"  
  
Frodo nodded. "As far as I can tell. He really misses you, Merry. He's been very depressed the last three months that you have been gone. Why did you stay an extra month anyway?"  
  
Merry shrugged. "Da wanted to stay for a part of Yule and then we decided we would come back. I needed more time to think anyway. But now that I'm back, I really want to get back Pippin." He looked down at his hands. "So Pippin, he was depressed without me, you say?"  
  
Frodo smirked. "Yes. He still is."  
  
Meriadoc looked back up to his older cousin. "Well, I'll see if I can change that."  
  
"It isn't going to be that easy, Merry. Tookland is literally sealed off. If Paladin caught you over there anywhere near Pippin, that would only make the feud worse. I think you should stay away from Pippin, if only for a little while. Give the adults a chance to calm down. It might be a while, but we have to be patient," Frodo advised, sitting down next to Merry.  
  
Meriadoc remained silent for a while, staring off into his hot tea as if the tea leaf trick might be in order to dish out answers. A thought popped into mind and Merry looked back over to Frodo. "You did give Pippin the address to Marmadas' home, didn't you?"  
  
Frodo nodded. "Yep. Pippin wrote you at least five times."  
  
Merry's expression was one of confusion. "Five times? I didn't receive any letters. I wrote Pippin though, two letters that I sent."  
  
"He didn't receive them, I guess. That is very odd. Even if I hadn't had the right address to Marmadas' home, your letters should have reached Pippin by now. Perhaps they were delayed," Frodo contemplated, trying to reason with himself.  
  
"I think something very strange is going on, Frodo. Someone is up to some funny business," Merry replied, glaring straight ahead. "But you are right, I suppose. We need to be patient and discover things as we go along, even though patience is something I haven't had a lot of these past few days."  
  
Frodo put his hand on Merry's shoulder. "We'll figure it out. But I suppose you had better be heading to Buckland if they are expecting you."  
  
Merry nodded. "Of course, Frodo. I do need to get going, but thank you for the news. And tell Pippin, if you see him, that I'll see him soon." With that, he stood quietly and went to the door, heading back to the carriage.  
  
"Mr. Merry!" Meriadoc spun around and saw Sam coming down the steps towards him. "I was hoping to give you this earlier. Seein' as you're in for a good long ride, I thought you might need some food." Sam held out his hands, in which was a small basket of baked bread.  
  
Merry smiled. "Thank you, Sam." He took the bread and placed it on the seat. "You take care of yourself, Sam. I'll see you soon!" He jumped in the carriage and sat down, closing the door. The driver gently tapped the reigns and the pony started trotting off down the hill, lost to sight within a minute.  
  
Sam stood there near the fence a short while. "Pippin sure is going to be happy to see you." He grinned and turned back towards the door, going inside to escape the cold night air. 


	13. Took Tea

Chapter Thirteen: Took Tea  
  
A/N: Yep, a new chapter, finally. A few people were asking about the names that are in this story. I'm sorry about the wait, but look below this. Yes, this is starting to sound like a Romeo and Juliet, isn't it? Thank you for giving me an idea, Aruraya! Well, I won't have a Tybalt or a Count Paris in here at least, though you might spot a Mercutio. If you reviewed, in fact even if you are reading this, I can't thank you enough.  
  
My names: Hildibrand Deeptunnel (a.k.a. Hildi), Palarhad Hozler, Marigold Erving, Terioloc and Perioloc, Para, Ms. Evangeline.  
  
I think that's it. Anything else is Tolkien's, unless I confirm otherwise down the road. If you want to, you can use some of my names. Just notify me in some way that you are.  
  
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'Merry wanted somebody to talk to, and he thought of Pippin. But that only increased his restlessness. Poor Pippin, shut up in the great city of stone, lonely and afraid. Merry wished he was a tall Rider like Éomer and could blow a horn or something and go galloping to his rescue.' -J. R. R. Tolkien Return Of The King, Chapter V 'The Ride Of The Rohirrim'  
  
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"PIM!" Pearl, the oldest daughter of the Tooks, yelled as she opened the round door to her younger sister's bedroom. "Pim, come on. Da has something to tell us in the dining room!"  
  
Pimpernel emerged out of her room and glanced obliquely at her sister. "What about?"  
  
"Diddly if I know," Pearl replied, turning and starting for the dining room, her brown curls of hair flouncing behind her.  
  
Pimpernel followed her, deciding to strike up conversation while they walked. "Where's Pervinca?"  
  
"Vinca and Pippin are outside somewhere," she replied as Pimpernel caught up with her. "They'll probably be there when we arrive. Have you noticed how Pippin has been acting lately?"  
  
"It has been a bit odd, I must admit. He barely talks anymore. Surprising for the chatterbox of the family, really. I barely see him anymore. He spends all day sitting on that bench beneath the linden tree, staring at the river." She looked up at Pearl as if she might know the reason but received a firm negative. "He's been so depressed lately. He won't see any of his friends, and he won't spend any time with us. I've been meaning to ask him about it."  
  
Pearl smiled sadly, agreeing. "So have I, but I've just been too busy lately."  
  
A grin lit up Pimpernel's face. "With Berilac?"  
  
Pearl spun around and scowled. "How did you find out about that?" It was more of a demand than a question.  
  
Her younger sister's face took on a true look of mischief and secrecy. "Oh, I have my ways, you know. After all, it isn't very hard to guess about you and him."  
  
"Is it that obvious?" Pearl asked. She frowned at Pimpernel's nod and looked around to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation. "Please don't tell anyone, Pim. I don't want Da finding out that I'm courting a Brandybuck."  
  
Pimpernel held her hands out in the air in defense. "Oh, don't worry. I won't. I just find it odd that you are courting someone younger than I am."  
  
"By one year!"  
  
"So? That's a five-year difference between the two of you. That could tweak Da more than actually dating a Brandybuck. You know Da. He's a man of principle, of courtesy, of respect, and of dignity, especially. But you know he's only trying to look out for us. He's just doing what he thinks is best."  
  
"It doesn't seem that way a lot of the time," Pearl remarked, scowling as she thought of her stubborn father.  
  
Pimpernel gave a sad smile. "But it is. Da just doesn't want any of us to get hurt. He may seem unreasonable sometimes, but he's a good father, Pearl."  
  
Pearl chuckled and looked over to her younger sister. "I can't believe that you are the voice of reason for once. You've really grown up from the girl I used to know."  
  
Pimpernel only shook her head and laughed. She paused before slyly commenting, "Anyway, I hope you don't get caught, for my sake." She grinned in a cat-like way and continued on walking, picking up her pace.  
  
"For your sake?" Pearl inquired, raising an eyebrow. Pimpernel smiled, but said no more.  
  
  
  
When they arrived in the dining hall, Paladin Took was sitting at the end of the table, absently tapping the wood surface while looking at scraps of parchment. Eglantine sat to the left of him, while Pervinca and Pippin sat to his right. Pearl and Pimpernel sat down at the end, awaiting what he would say.  
  
He looked up from the pages of writing that he was reading to his family and nodded, smiling at his children. "Well, I'm glad to see everyone is here. I have a very important announcement to make. Tonight we are going to be hosting a party."  
  
Pearl smiled as she cast a furtive glance to her brother, sighing as she saw the unchanged look of boredom.  
  
Without noticing the previous action, Paladin continued. "I would like you all to be ready by this afternoon, probably by five o'clock or so. The news has spread through half of the Shire, so we should be very busy. That gives us about five or six hours to prepare. So all of you hurry along now. Find something suitable to wear, and whatnot."  
  
Pervinca stood and excitedly hugged him, and then took Pippin's hand and pulled him from the table back out to the yard. Pearl and Pimpernel stood as well and thanked him before rushing away to find dresses to wear for the evening.  
  
Eglantine turned to her husband, smiling. "I'm so glad to see them happy again. How long has it been since we hosted a party, dear?"  
  
Paladin returned her smile. "Too long. I did suppose you missed dancing with the most handsome hobbit in the shire?"  
  
"Oh, Paladin, you clown," Eglantine lightheartedly chided, giving him a nudge. "Although you do seem a bit more handsome lately. I wouldn't mind a dance or five." She sighed contently and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before standing and rushing off to find a dress to wear.  
  
  
  
"Did you hear that Pippin? A party! We haven't had a party here in years!" Pervinca remarked as she skipped down the yard and plopped down on the grass. Pippin calmly sat down next to her, thinking of something.  
  
"You don't think he's invited any of the Brandybucks, do you?"  
  
Realization crept up on Pervinca's face. "Probably not. I'm sorry, Pippin." She offered him a caring expression, but he was looking away. Sighing, she slung her arm around his shoulders and smiled at him when he turned to glance at her. "Let's go find you some clothes to wear, because you are going to be socializing tonight!"  
  
"Who says so?" Pippin asked, one eyebrow raised as an increment to his already inquiring expression.  
  
"I do, silly. Besides, you can impress some girls," she joked as she nudged his shoulder. He only woefully sighed and looked back out onto the river. Pervinca sighed, exasperated, and tugged Pippin's hand to stand up. "Well, come on!"  
  
  
  
By two o'clock in the afternoon, both of them were satisfied with Pippin's evening apparel. They had argued for an hour on what jacket matched the shirt he had picked out, and then it all came down the trousers. Yet eventually they agreed and sat down to afternoon tea with Pearl.  
  
Tea started off in silence, with each of them thinking to themselves for a while. Pervinca was the first to speak halfway through their delectable tea. "Pearl, do you have any jewelry I can borrow for tonight?"  
  
Pearl nodded. "I suppose I do, though you can't take any of my necklaces." She glanced over to Pippin, who seemed to be thinking of something. "Pippin?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Have you been feeling all right lately?"  
  
Pervinca turned in her seat away from her older sister and put a hand to her mouth, trying not to show her obvious frown. Pippin only shrugged, replying nonchalantly, "Of course I have, Pearl. Why would you ask such a thing?"  
  
Pearl shrugged, hiding her concern. "No reason. You've just been a bit quiet lately. I was wondering what was wrong."  
  
He only smiled and shook his head vigorously as his brown curls of hair flopped about. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just growing up, I guess."  
  
Pervinca turned back to them, deciding to change the subject. "Faster than I am, for sure. Hey Pearl, do you think that Hildibrand Deeptunnel will be here tonight?"  
  
"Probably. Why would you-"  
  
"No reason," she interrupted quickly, turning to Pippin and grinning playfully.  
  
Catching the hint to leave it be, Pearl only chuckled and stood. "Well, I have to be going. Need to pick out a dress and all. I'll talk to you later, and lend you some jewelry perhaps." She smiled at Pippin and exited the room, leaving her younger siblings alone.  
  
"That was close," Pippin stated as he traced the rim of his teacup.  
  
"I'm glad to see she's concerned about you, at least."  
  
Pippin looked up to her. "What?"  
  
"Didn't you mean her asking about your welfare?"  
  
"No, I meant she was close to finding about your crush on Hildibrand."  
  
Pervinca shot up out of the lounge chair she was sitting in and scowled at him as menacingly as she could, which didn't amount to much menace upon her pretty face. "I do NOT like Hildibrand! He's just a friend. Besides he's way too old for me."  
  
Laughing, Pippin shook his head. "Then why did you ask about him?"  
  
She went slightly red in the face and looked up to the ceiling for help, not knowing what to say. "Well, I-uh, I... You'll find out later." She sat back down and took another sip of her tea. After a quiet moment, she spoke again. "Pearl should know, though."  
  
"Know what? About Merry and I? Even I don't understand my situation, Vinca. Besides, even if she did know she would argue to Da about it and make things worse than they already are. So would Pimpernel." Pippin shook his head. "I have to figure out a way to do this on my own, without their help. That way I can prove that I'm responsible and that I'm growing up, and maybe I'll have a better chance of seeing Merry again."  
  
Pervinca nodded. "All right, Pippin, but if this gets any worse I'm telling Ma!"  
  
  
  
"Cousin Meriadoc!" shouted a very excited hobbit lad from his spot on the doorstep of Brandy Hall as a carriage pulled up at the end of the pathway.  
  
"Berilac! I haven't seen you in ages. How are you?"  
  
Berilac stood and raced over to Merry, who had just stepped out of the carriage door. He embraced him briefly and started pulling him towards the door of Brandy Hall. "Oh, I'm this and that you know. Feeling funnier than the next person."  
  
Merry laughed and nodded. "Oh, of course." He looked around as Berilac pulled him through the front hall. Shrugging his wrist out of his cousin's strong grip, he stopped and inhaled a deep breath of air. "Ah, home. The most beautiful place on Middle Earth." He smiled and looked at Berilac, who was watching him with a thinking countenance spreading across his face. Meriadoc grew suddenly uncomfortable under his cousin's sweeping gaze and cocked his head to the side. "What?"  
  
Berilac just shook his head and smiled. "Merry, how would you like to attend a party tonight?" 


	14. Closer

Chapter Fourteen: Closer  
  
Meriadoc looked incredulously at his cousin. "Attend a party? I just arrived home. Can't I have a night of peace?" He started trudging off down to his room to put away his travelling bags, but he stopped briefly and turned back towards Berilac. "Where's this party at, anyway?"  
  
Berilac grinned even more impishly than before. "Tookland."  
  
"W-what about the feud?" Merry seemed more than a little confused.  
  
"Oh, you know about that already, do you? That doesn't matter. We can sneak in."  
  
Merry shook his head. "Someone is bound to see us, Ber."  
  
"No, they won't. We can keep hidden most of the time. There's going to be a lot of hobbits there, so the Tooks can't keep track of everyone, can they?"  
  
Doing an about-face, Meriadoc sighed and continued walking to his room as Berilac followed him. "Why do you want to go, anyway?"  
  
Berilac swayed his head a bit and grinned dreamily. "A certain Took daughter."  
  
Merry almost burst out laughing. "Seriously? Let's see here. Though I don't see why, uh, Pimpernel, perhaps?"  
  
"A little bit older."  
  
"Pearl? You like Pearl?  
  
Berilac nodded and stepped inside Merry's bedroom as he shut the door behind him. He looked on as Merry unpacked his things from three months. Well, not unpacked, more like dumped onto the floor. He grinned at his cousin's neatness. "So your decision is?"  
  
"Hmm?" Merry looked back to him and remembered what they had been speaking about. "Well, you have heard about Pippin and I, haven't you?"  
  
"Oh, that old news? To what it can exceed it is most terrible, I am sure. But, it does not matter much, does it?" Berilac asked.  
  
He seemingly hit a nerve point in Merry with that particular question, and no sooner had the words left his mouth than his cousin angrily spun around to face him. Clenching his teeth, Merry spat viciously, "Doesn't matter much?! What do you mean 'doesn't matter much'? It's Pippin we're talking about here! You think he doesn't matter much?!"  
  
Berilac waved his hands in the air, trying to appease his cousin for his previous bad choice of words. "All right, Mer. Just calm down a bit. I'm sorry. Don't even bother remembering that I said it. I take it all back."  
  
"Good," Merry replied curtly, sitting on his bed. He sighed and glanced back up to Berilac. "Well, don't just stand there. Help me find something to wear."  
  
  
  
It was nearing six o'clock when the guests starting arriving at Tookland for the party. Pervinca haunted the front step for a while, seemingly looking for someone. She gave up after a half an hour and stepped inside, where the music had begun playing and the food had started to disappear, starting up the merriment. Paladin and some of the other older hobbits were sitting around a table that was placed inside one of the connected suites that were in a long, straight vista, drinking ale and chatting about old times. Other guests, younger and more energetic, waltzed around another room to the rapid music. Other hobbits were standing near tables lined with food and drinks.  
  
Pervinca walked around for a while, playing a little game with herself while looking around for her expected guest. Someone tapped her on the shoulder and she spun around, finding Hildibrand standing behind her. "There you are!" she replied cheerfully before pulling him off to the side of the room. She turned towards him as she stopped by the wall. "So, how's the plan working?"  
  
Hildibrand smiled. "They'll be here soon. Don't worry. I have everything planned. Though I wish I knew more about this a few months ago. 'Tis a shame, keepin' them separated and all." He took a step back and held out a hand to her. "A dance, fairest of the fair?" She giggled and took his hand, letting him lead her to the center of the suite.  
  
  
  
"All right now, Merry. You know this place like you do Buckland, so show us around," Berilac commanded. Some of the other Bucklander boys had joined them, deciding they wanted to party like the rest of the Shire.  
  
Merry glanced at the front door from their hiding spot, which was behind the fence some thirty yards from the door. He scrunched his mouth in a frown as he saw some of the adult Tooks greeting people at the door. "There's another door, behind the hill. We can go in that way without being noticed. I'm sure of it," he stated, risking a cautious glance at Berilac, who nodded perceptively. He began crawling off in the dark towards the back of the smials, pausing to let the others catch up to him.  
  
They reached the doors after a few minutes of looking, and Berilac and the others were starting to walk to it when the Brandybuck glanced back to see Meriadoc standing there, shivering while staring at the door.  
  
"Merry? Are you all right, cousin?"  
  
Merry turned to him upon hearing his name and very slowly shook his head. "I can't do it, Berilac. I can't do it."  
  
"What?" Berilac asked, bewildered at his cousin's behavior.  
  
"I can't do it. I can't face him, I can't," he stated brokenly.  
  
Understanding crept up on Berilac, and he smiled reassuringly. "Merry, it's all right. You can face Pip-"  
  
"No, I can't! Besides, Frodo said to wait and-"  
  
"Merry!" Berilac interrupted as he gripped his cousin's upper arms. "You've gotten this far. Please don't turn back now. Pippin needs you, Merry. Don't you see? You two are better together than you are apart!" Meriadoc looked back to the door as his older cousin pleaded with him, and his expression suddenly held determination.  
  
"You're right, Berilac."  
  
"Of course I am! Now, come on. Let's join the party!"  
  
  
  
After cautiously sneaking down a few halls, the Brandybuck boys found the suites where the party was taking place and stealthily joined the rest of the already large crowd, fitting in and keeping away from Took eyesight. Merry kept off to the side, keeping an eye out to look for the only person he had been longing to see.  
  
When ten minutes had passed, Berilac and Hildibrand caught each other's eyes from across the room. Smiling at him, Berilac winked and nodded over to where Merry stood. Hildibrand nodded back and walked off, going to find Pippin.  
  
  
  
"I'm late!" Pippin cried as he quickly stepped into his clothes that were laid out near his bed. He had not noticed the time until he had put down his book that he had been reading for the past few hours. Once he made sure he looked all right, he stepped out of his room and hurried to the suites where the party was taking place. "Pervinca is probably mad," he said to himself as he slipped through the first crowd of dancers. He sighted his father sitting with some of the older hobbits, still drinking and talking about old times. Pimpernel was at one end chatting with some other girls her age. Pervinca was once again dancing with Hildibrand, which Pippin noted and smiled to himself. He saw some of the Cotton family roaming about and one or two of the Bracegirdles standing about the food trays. Many other hobbits crossed his vision in the dimly lit room, some dancing, some eating, and many laughing.  
  
But something was tugging at the back of his neck, something that just did not seem right. The sounds started to grow louder than they had been, and when they reached a point when he thought he would go deaf they started to fade out again. The fire in the scones and on the candlewicks seemed to grow dimmer than they had been. Things seemed to grow hazy about him as he stopped in the middle of the dance floor, but these things did not catch his attention at all. There was only one thing in the room at the moment that held his notice. A hobbit lad from across the largely occupied suite had unexpectedly caught Pippin's eye.  
  
Was... Was that... Dare he hope that was...  
  
"Merry?!" 


	15. A Little Help in the Right Direction

Chapter Fifteen: A Little Help in the Right Direction  
  
A/N: For one thing: I apologize about my evilness for putting the cliffhanger last chapter. And... Wait a minute! 60 reviews?! Oh my... Oh my... I can't zank yoo enuff! *Achoooo* Don't yoo jus' hate colds? Anyway, Renagird is my creation for this chapter.  
  
~()~  
  
Berilac Brandybuck waltzed around the room for a bit, seeming to dance with an invisible partner. He twirled and spun absently to the music, letting the sweet melody take him away and guide his feet as he closed his eyes. However, his little dance was interrupted when he tripped over a table leg and collided with another hobbit, knocking both of them down. Berilac winced as he hit the wood floor, both from the slight pain in his bottom and the knowledge that the incident would draw attention to him sooner or later. He hesitantly looked to whom he knocked down and smiled, jumping back to his feet and holding out his hand to help the other up.  
  
"Well, if it isn't Mr. Frodo Baggins! How have you been?" he chirped as Frodo stood.  
  
Frodo smiled back at him. "Oh, I was fine until you sent me sprawling, Berilac." He paused as he looked at Berilac, the smile fading from his lips. Realization struck him a moment later, and he glanced up at the Brandybuck in disbelief. "Berilac, what are you doing here?"  
  
Berilac only grinned, unfazed by Frodo's surprise. "Why, joining the party, of course! You think I would sit around the house and do nothing, especially when my cousin's whole social status is in peril?"  
  
Frodo's jaw dropped. "You mean that you-"  
  
"Are helping Merry with some broken relationships. He's my cousin, Frodo. Of course I would help."  
  
Though usually not being one to spite others, Frodo's face clouded over with slight anger. "He's also *my* cousin, mind you. And *I* was helping him until now it seems." He took a breath to calm himself. "You do know that if any of you are found, Merry has less chance of seeing Pippin, don't you?"  
  
Berilac shook his head. "Oh, Frodo, you old worrywart! Hildibrand and I have this all down to a perfect art, you know. Our plan is going as smooth as butter."  
  
Frodo raised an eyebrow. "And how is that?"  
  
Giving Frodo the usual half-smirk that he was famous for, Berilac spun him around by the arm and pointed to the table where Paladin Took sat. "You see that hobbit sitting to the left of Paladin? That is Hildibrand's uncle, Renagird. He's an old friend to the Brandybuck family, though Paladin doesn't know it. You see, he keeps Paladin busy while our little operation is going on."  
  
Frodo nodded. "All right, then. What else?"  
  
Berilac turned him to the dance floor and pointed out Pervinca. "She's keeping some of the older hobbits busy and standing watch. You know, when it comes down to it, she's a right old conspirator, no doubt about it. And Hildibrand over there," he began, motioning to where the mentioned hobbit stood, "he makes certain that our little Took finds Merry."  
  
"Well then, what do you do?" Frodo asked, slightly approving of the plan.  
  
"Me? Well, until later, I'm just here for the party. But when the time is right, I find some way to get them alone. If that needs to be done, anyway."  
  
"And how would you do that without letting them know your little plan? Or for that matter, if your first plan fails completely, what will you do?"  
  
"Um... Well, I..." Berilac mumbled, growing slightly embarrassed.  
  
"You mean to tell me that you haven't thought of a plan B?"  
  
"Well, no... Not exactly."  
  
Frodo nodded and glanced across the dance floor, spotting Pippin standing there, and looking over to the side, he also spotted Merry. "Well, if that's the case... I'll help."  
  
"How?"  
  
Turning back to Berilac, Frodo's face took on a sly expression. "Just watch."  
  
~()~  
  
Partially hidden by the shadows of the room, Merry leaned against the wall, wondering why in the world he had agreed to come in the first place. Within the past few minutes, he had slipped around in the dark parts of the room and tried to find Pippin, but he had eventually stopped looking when he didn't catch sight of him.  
  
Though rational thinking said it probably wasn't true, he could have sworn someone was staring at him earlier, but when he looked over to the spot in which he thought it came from, no one stood there. In his mind, Merry blamed a certain sense of paranoia for the brief space interruption, but as time grew on he felt it again, only this time closer to him. His head turned this way and that as he tried to find the source as worried thoughts popped into his mind. 'I couldn't have been spotted, could I?' he hastily pondered. He ruled that out as he looked around, finding none of the Tooks near him. His imagination must have been acting up, he concluded, stopping at a safe spot near one of the thin wooden columns and leaning against it. He despondently sighed and muttered, "I'm never going to see Pippin at this rate."  
  
~()~  
  
Just like Merry didn't trust his senses, Pippin couldn't believe his eyes. He was sure that had been... He shook his head, blaming his tired senses for the supposed delusion. That couldn't have been Merry standing there just a moment ago, could it? One moment he thought he had seen him, and the next one of the dancers passed him and Merry was gone.  
  
And he stood there like a confused and lost child in the midst of a crowd, pondering why he was standing there. He suddenly felt someone approaching him out of the throng of people, but he didn't turn his eyes away from the wall in case Merry might appear again like a haunting phantom existing only in memory. The approaching hobbit, who was now directly behind him, stopped walking and leaned towards him. Pippin stood starkly still as a whisper reached his ears. "Go after him." And like a breeze upon the air, the hobbit behind him disappeared.  
  
The whispered words awoke him out of his trance, making him glance around to see who had spoken. Pippin's eyebrows raised as he thought, 'Odd... That sounded a bit like Frodo.' He brushed that thought aside and turned back to his previous position as the meaning of the words finally cleared.  
  
Taking that advice, Pippin rushed over to the side of the room, dodging the cheerful dancers that suddenly seemed to surround him. When he reached the shadows, he hurriedly glanced around. He smiled when he caught sight of a head of golden brown hair and a jacket of dark green farther down the side of the room. His breath caught in his throat and thoughts raced through his head, the main few being 'Why is he here?' and 'He's actually here!'  
  
Other thoughts started popping up in his head, ones like 'Does he still like me?' and 'Will he speak to me?' He shook his head to stop them and started walking again.  
  
~()~  
  
Hildibrand's smile could have lit up the room if the torches weren't already doing so. He walked up to Berilac and nodded. "That was a nice touch. I don't know what Frodo said to him, but Pippin sure got excited."  
  
Berilac glanced to him and back to Meriadoc as his expression grew serious. "It was all Frodo's doing. I admit, it's nice to have him around for occasions like this."  
  
"And everything is going great. Our luck has been good today."  
  
An amused smile made an appearance, but it faded from Berilac's mouth as he spotted something, and he stood up, rigid to the bone. "We're not out of the woods yet." 


	16. Pushing It

Chapter Sixteen: Pushing It  
  
A/N: *Grabs a megaphone* "AND NOW! THE MOMENT YOU HAVE ALL BEEN-" *hack, sputter, cough, wheeze* Sorry, the megaphone is a bit dusty. Ahem, "- WAITING FOR! MERRY AND PIPPIN, REUNITED!" Sallo is mine for this chapter, so is Renagird. !!!!REVIEW!!!!  
  
~*~  
  
Paladin Took laughed uproariously at another joke that Renagird made and finished his fifth glass of ale, downing it in one gulp. Complacent with his surroundings, he idly leaned back in his chair and smiled dizzily at the hobbits that passed him. Everything was going perfectly, and he finally had the chance to sit back and completely relax, which made him feel on top of the world. That is, until one of his cousins appeared beside him.  
  
"Paladin," the hobbit began, leaning in closer for a whispered conversation so that no others should happen to hear. "Some of the Brandybuck boys are here." He motioned to the dancers with one of his hands, waiting for Paladin's usual angry reaction.  
  
However, there was no immediate reaction. Paladin calmly looked to where his cousin had pointed but could not succeed in finding any of the mentioned hobbits. "They aren't causing trouble, are they?"  
  
"Well, no, Paladin. But all the same-"  
  
"Well, since they're not doing anything right now, don't bother them. You can throw them out if they cause trouble, but let them stay for now."  
  
"But, Paladin," sputtered the older hobbit, confused about Paladin's unusually placid mood, "what about the feud? You know that if anyone finds out about this, your reputation..."  
  
"I'll allow it. Just this once," Paladin stated as he glanced over to Renagird. The old hobbit smiled and nodded back to him, quite happy with the decision.  
  
"But, Paladin," interrupted the other Took once again.  
  
"Don't you 'But, Paladin' me!" he stated harshly, his voice slightly rising with his temper. "My decision on the matter is final. Understand?"  
  
His cousin nodded and stuttered, "Ah-All right, P-P-Paladin. Forgive me for my rudeness."  
  
Glad that he could relax again, Paladin nodded and returned to the excited chatter at the table. A light tap on his shoulder caused him to turn and plan to shoo off the person that dared to interrupt him again. He came face to face with Eglantine.  
  
"Oh, hello dear."  
  
"Hello yourself, Paladin. It has been three hours, and I still have not received an invitation to dance from you." Embellishing her annoyance, she crossed her arms and looked skyward while Paladin stood up from his chair. "But if you want to act that way, then-"  
  
She was quickly cut off when Paladin threw his arms around her, dipped her, and kissed her squarely on the mouth, which created a loud uproar of applause from the other adult hobbits around them. Pulling away, Paladin smiled as he noticed his wife's flushed face and remarked, "My dear, have you ever known me to keep you away for very long?"  
  
Eglantine just smiled in a nervous blush and stood up, giggling as she brushed away Paladin's hands. "You really never have grown up from that young, debonair hobbit I used to know, Paladin Took!" She then grabbed his hand and led him out to the dance floor.  
  
~*~  
  
After about three dances the couple took a short break, Eglantine going off to some of her friends while Paladin sat down again at the table. "Whew," he breathed and grabbed a flagon of wine from the center of the table. He was in mid-gulp when he felt eyes intently staring at him. He slowly lowered the flagon and glanced to his left. He smiled cheerfully and turned fully around to the hobbit next to him.  
  
"Sallo! I haven't seen you in years, old boy! How've you been?" he asked while clapping the other hobbit on the shoulder.  
  
"Good, thanks," he replied, nodding to Paladin. "I see you've been having a splendid evening."  
  
Paladin nodded in return. "Oh yes, indeed. It's been absolutely wonderful."  
  
Sallo turned back to his glass of ale. He looked at Paladin obliquely after a brief pause. "I hear that you have been having problems with the Brandybucks lately."  
  
"Huh? Oh yes, that. Well, it's a long story, but we have been at a stand- off for awhile now."  
  
"I also hear that Peregrin and Meriadoc have been on some rocky terms."  
  
Paladin snorted into his glass. He mumbled something inaudible and then paused for a moment, setting down his drink. "Yes, those Brandybucks have been trouble," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "I just wish Esmerelda weren't one of them. My poor sister, having to put up with that insufferable Saradoc."  
  
Sallo quietly chuckled to himself, but dropped his smile abruptly. "And it has also reached my ears that the Brandybucks are here tonight."  
  
Paladin merely glanced over to Sallo, keeping quiet.  
  
"And not only my ears have heard," Sallo started, leaning closer. "My eyes have also been witness to sightings, like that one over there. What is his name...Berilac, I believe." He motioned to Berilac and waited until Paladin noticed him. He paused a moment before continuing, "My eyes have also seen other Brandybucks. Your nephew Meriadoc is among them."  
  
Paladin raised his eyebrows and glanced over to Sallo, pausing a moment, then muttering hastily, "Where is Peregrin?"  
Pippin, in fact, was only about thirty paces from Merry, his heart beating rapidly and his cheeks feeling very hot, when a large mob of older girls who had just finished dancing appeared in front of him, not noticing the young Took's displeasure at the obscurity of sight. They chatted excitedly amongst themselves as Pippin rolled his eyes. "Twittering airheads," he quietly muttered under his breath as he hurriedly tried to slip around them. Unfortunately for him however, 'try' was just not going to be effective.  
  
"Peregrin!" one squealed as some others noticed him. The girls crowded around him, and Pippin became notably flustered as they jabbered and poked and giggled. He nodded and politely tried to excuse himself, but the girls were so loud that they did not hear him and continue babbling amongst themselves. Losing patience, he rolled his eyes and looked for someone who might help him escape. He grinned as he noticed Pimpernel heading towards him and slipped away as she greeted the mob of girls.  
  
Smiling to himself, Pippin skulked around the still twittering group and stopped. His smile immediately dropped as he stood on his tiptoes to see over a few heads of curly hobbit hair, but no matter how much he searched, he knew that he had lost sight of Merry.  
  
~*~  
  
"Just great! Did you see that?" Berilac exclaimed and glanced back to Hildibrand.  
  
"Sure did. Looks like we'll have to lead both of them away from the party, and Pippin away from all his admirers!" Hildibrand lightly smiled and looked over to Paladin. His expression turned to one of immediate worry and he tugged at Berilac's sleeve. "Berilac, look! That hobbit over there next to Paladin just pointed at you!"  
  
"What?" he exclaimed as he looked over to Paladin and cringed. "Oh sakes, you're right. We had better hurry up with this. Er, let's see..." He looked around and snapped his fingers as an idea came to him. "Tell Pervinca to lure Pippin outside near the back door, and quickly now. I'll get Merry and the rest of the boys."  
Having grown impatient with searching for Pippin, Merry had wandered off to find some food earlier and was standing somewhat close to the tables when Berilac raced towards him.  
  
"Berilac, what-"  
  
"Merry," he started, pausing to glance around, "we have sort of been spotted, so I want you to wait outside by the back door while I gather up all of the others. All right?" Merry was about to protest, but Berilac cut him off with a nonchalant reassurance. "Just go. I can get the others. Don't worry. It shouldn't take long." With that, Berilac disappeared into the crowd once more.  
  
"Oh, wonderful," Merry muttered and set down his plate stacked with heaps of salad. "I just hope he remembers the way out." He smiled as he thought this and decided on the quickest route to the back door. He quickly slipped through the dancers on the dance floor, dodging some flailing arms and swirling skirts, and sneaked down the long halls of Tookland to the backyard.  
  
He quietly eased open the door inch by inch and stepped outside, inhaling the moist night air. He leaned near the doorframe as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he found himself smiling and softly humming along with the melody that came from inside the smials after a minute or so.  
  
~*~  
  
Pervinca grinned as she calmly strode up to Pippin and leaned next to him. "Having a nice time?"  
  
Pippin spun around and softly smiled when he saw his sister. "Sort of, I guess. Pervinca, I think that I saw Mer-"  
  
"Say, Pippin," Pervinca interrupted. "Why don't you go wait for me outside near the back door?" At Pippin's look of confusion she explained further. "I thought you might want to see the thing that I was going to show you earlier."  
  
"What thing?"  
  
Pervinca thought a moment, then smiled and shrugged. "It's a surprise. I guess I forgot to tell you about it."  
  
Pippin nodded, but looked back over his shoulder when he reminded himself of something. "Hey, Pervinca, do you know that I thought I saw Merry earlier?"  
  
"Oh, no. Really?" she asked, trying to hide her smile. "Well, anyway, just go outside. I promise, it's really neat."  
  
Pippin's face took on a look of worry before he gave one more wistful glance around the room and headed out for the back door.  
  
~*~  
  
Merry's head slowly turned when he heard the door close, quite ready to give Berilac a good-tongue lashing for making him wait so long. Yet when he saw who had stepped outside, his mouth had no words to say. Covered by the darkness' shadows, Merry only had to stay still not to be noticed. A soft smile spread over his lips.  
  
'Pippin,' he thought to himself. 'We're finally alone.' Pippin slightly faced away from him, standing still while hugging himself to keep out the evening chill. Not coming up with anything to say, Merry cautiously stepped out of the shadows and sneaked towards Pippin. Careful not to make a sound and trying to slow his breathing, he stopped a few feet behind the young Took. He swallowed nervously and reached out, tapping Pippin upon the shoulder.  
  
Pippin spun around immediately and became immobilized when he noticed who had tapped him. He inhaled sharply and stood still, not knowing what to do.  
  
Merry searched the young Took's face, trying to find anger but seeing none. He was surprised how gentle and clear his voice was when he spoke something he had been waiting to say for a long time. "Pippin."  
  
"Merry," Pippin breathed in response.  
  
There was silence for what seemed like minutes, until Merry couldn't stand the heavy tension anymore, nor the cruel irony of their silence. "I'm sorry."  
  
Pippin glanced up into Merry's eyes. "For what?"  
  
Merry thought a moment. "I don't know. I just am."  
  
"Well... Then I'm sorry too."  
  
"Why do you have to be sorry?"  
  
"I don't know." Pippin smiled softly. "Are you mad? With me, I mean."  
  
Merry quickly shook his head. "No. Are you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh. Well, that's good, I suppose." He paused and looked down to the ground. "I guess these past few months have been a bit odd, haven't they?"  
  
"Yes, they have." Pippin frowned and glanced towards the door. "You know, we shouldn't be talking right now."  
  
Merry nodded. "But we are." He reached out and tilted Pippin's chin up, making Pippin look at him. "And I'm glad. I missed you."  
  
Pippin's eyes became watery. "I missed you too, Merry."  
  
Meriadoc smiled and wrapped his arms around the young Took, pulling him closer as Pippin returned the embrace. He craned his neck farther downward and planted a small kiss on the top of Pippin's head, covered by unruly curls of brown hair. They stood there for minutes on end, Merry breathing in the familiar, calming scent of Pippin while Pippin intently listened to Merry's steady heartbeat.  
  
Merry held Pippin tighter to him. It seemed as though he would not let him go ever again.  
  
~*~  
  
Berilac quickly hurried as he gathered up the rest of the Brandybucks and tried to find the back door. He had not caught sight of Frodo again, although he made a mental note to thank the older hobbit the next time he would see him.  
  
He motioned to his friends behind him to follow as he started to near the exit. He knew one of the Tooks would soon be coming to kick them out, so he had to rush things. Upon finding the right door, he rushed out and held the door open for the other escaping Brandybucks. A bright smile lit up his once worried face when he noticed Merry and Pippin still holding each other a few yards away.  
  
Guilt tugged at him, but he knew they had to leave soon. "Merry, come on. I'm indeed sorry to end this little reunion, but we have to get going." He turned and started to head off in the direction the others were going. He halted and glanced back to his younger cousin. "Merry, come on!"  
  
"All right, all right," Merry yelled back as he slowly pulled out of the embrace. He turned and glanced at Pippin one last time, savoring what would perhaps be his last view for awhile. Merry gave a slight nod of his head and smiled before running after Berilac and the others into the dark night.  
  
Pippin sighed reluctantly as he watched them go, wishing he could have more time with Merry. He felt an arm wrap around his shoulders, but he did not turn.  
  
When the Brandybucks had completely vanished into the night, the person spoke. "Well, Pippin, let's go back inside."  
  
This made Pippin turn quickly with surprise to see Pimpernel standing beside him. She gave him a gentle smile that he soon returned, and both turned around and went back into the smials.  
  
~*~  
  
"That was really bad. We almost got caught!" one of the Brandybucks shouted as they hurried away through the growing dark, racing down some hills leading to Buckland.  
  
Merry smiled as he ran faster. "What are you talking about? This is the best night of my life!" 


	17. Explanations

Chapter Seventeen: Explanations  
  
A/N: Wow... *checking the date on the summary*... where have I been? Well, I could provide the usual excuse, but I think I'll just leave it be and let you read. Dedicated to my wonderful, *WONDERFUL*, reviewers! Just to let you know, I will be writing much more quickly in the following weeks!  
  
~*~  
  
Morning light infiltrated the bedroom. Not that pleasant, cheery morning light or the usual, tender morning light; rather it was a blinding light that jolted Merry straight out of bed when his large, dark curtains were thrown open. "Aiiiiiya," he grumbled, blinking profusely against the new intrusion. He turned, holding his hand across his eyes, and tried to identify who had opened the curtains so that he could yell at them; or at the least, grumble at them, since he was too tired to properly raise his voice.  
  
"Rise and shine, sleeping ugly!" The voice beat him to the punch line, and he recognized the voice as Berilac's.  
  
"Whaddya wan' now, Ber?" he asked, yawning. He sat up and stretched as memories of last night flooded his mind and left him smiling.  
  
"I just wanted to inform you, Mer, that you have missed a delectable first and second breakfast, and that everyone from here to the Far Downs is talking about you."  
  
"Oh really?" Merry replied as he stood and straightened his pajamas. "I wonder how that happened?"  
  
"Well, cause you slept in so late! How else d'ya think you could miss first and second breakfast?"  
  
Merry only sent a wry stare his way.  
  
Berilac's face lit up in recognition. "Oh, you mean... Oh, I don't know. Perhaps it has something to do with last night?" A hint of mischief was in Berilac's tone, something that Merry did not like to hear right when he awoke. Although Pippin might have a fair mischievous side to him, Berilac's real sense of adventure consisted of nothing but mischief.  
  
"Berilac, whatever you've started, please don't bring me down with you. It's far too early in the morning to worry about matters concerning the rest of the shire."  
  
Berilac laughed. "Don't look at me. I didn't start anything... this time... And early, did you say? You mean late, don't you? It is nearly eleven o'clock now! If you don't hurry, elevenses will also be gone."  
  
Merry turned to him slowly and quirked an eyebrow. "Eleven? Well, then, I had better get ready, shouldn't I?"  
  
"Yes, you should. Couldn't sleep last night, I suppose?" Berilac grinned and scratched his chin. "Though, I can't see why. It seemed to me as though you really tired yourself out last night."  
  
"Oh sure. That's incredibly funny, Ber. Now shut the curtains and get out of my room before I kick you out."  
  
"You must be joking, Merry," Berilac commented. "You wouldn't do that to-"  
  
"Get out!"  
  
"All right! All right, fine. I'll just be leaving now. Though I'll be seeing you for elevenses." Berilac stuck out his lower lip as he entered the hallway. "Bye-bye then." The door could not have slammed faster than it did.  
  
~*~  
  
Meriadoc quickly changed into his usual apparel and combed his hair, striking a pose in his mirror. "Well, Merry," he told himself, "good job. Thank Berilac and the others later. That old prankster had something to do with it, the shame-faced goat." He laughed and scuttled out to the dining room where some of his family had gathered for elevenses.  
  
Esmerelda nodded as he sat down. "Hello, Merry. Nice to see you up and about, finally."  
  
Berilac hid a short chuckle and glanced at his other cousins sitting beside him.  
  
"Good-morning," Merry replied, giving a stern stare to Berilac when his mother glanced down at her plate. "I am sorry for sleeping in so late."  
  
"You did not seem so tired when you went to bed at eight o'clock last night. Did you sleep well last night?"  
  
Merry glanced at his mother in surprise. "Um... Yes... Yes, I did. I guess I just needed a few more hours of sleep; that's all."  
  
Another, much louder giggle could be heard and Merry once again glared in Berilac's direction.  
  
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Esmerelda thoughtfully stared up at Merry, and then she glanced at Berilac. "Well, you seem to be in a good mood, Berilac. Perhaps you could share what has gotten you so elated?"  
  
All eyes turned to Berilac, and he blushed. "I'm just the usual old me, ma'am. Happy to be awake and not in trouble."  
  
It was Merry's turn to keep down a laugh. His smile, however, quickly dropped as he heard what Esmerelda had to say next.  
  
"Word has been going round that there was a party at Paladin's last night. True?"  
  
Berilac and Meriadoc kept still and looked away from her.  
  
"I also hear that there was a slight disturbance there. Is this also true?"  
  
Upon hearing no answers, she sighed. "Well, I'm sorry to do this then, but- "  
  
"Now hold on," Berilac interrupted, standing from his chair. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I think I'll offer some explanation. You see, ma'am, it was all my idea. I wanted to give Merry a chance to reconcile his former relations with Peregrin."  
  
"Which I did," Merry added and then quieted again as Berilac continued.  
  
"We weren't causing any trouble. And we were gone before most of the Tooks could see us. But if you still feel it an obligation to deal out punishment, I beg you to leave Merry out of it. Nothing that happened was his fault."  
  
Esmerelda nodded thoughtfully and motioned Berilac to sit down. She looked across the table and smiled at her son. "You are on better terms with Peregrin?"  
  
Merry nodded in quiet response.  
  
"And your uncle is not considering punishment upon Pippin?"  
  
Meriadoc glanced to Berilac. His older cousin took the invitation and once again spoke up. "Well, you see, marm... I wasn't the only conspirator in this plot. Pervinca Took helped as well. I'm sure she is taking care of the details over there as we speak."  
  
This seemed to satisfy Esmerelda. "Well, if this hasn't worsened any relations, I suppose it was all right." She quickly interrupted before the boys could cheer. "But I will give you a warning. If I ever hear anything about you boys over there again before this feud is over, I will deal out punishment properly. Understand?"  
  
There was a grumbling of "Yes, ma'am" around the table.  
  
"Good." Esmerelda nodded. "Now let's eat."  
  
~*~  
  
Meanwhile, Pervinca actually was working out the details back at Tookland. Ideas came popping up into her head as she walked towards Pippin's room. Paladin had requested to see Peregrin, and she was pretty sure of the cause.  
  
"Pippin!" She yelled as she came up to Pippin's bedroom door, and she knocked twice. "Pippin! Get up, would you? Da has something to say to you."  
  
Pippin yawned and cautiously stepped onto the floor from underneath the covers. "Just a minute, Vinca. I'm hurrying." he mumbled tiredly, then yelped as he struck his toe against the dresser. He grabbed something out of his dresser and flung it on his bed, dressing within a matter of minutes. "What does Da want now?"  
  
"I'm thinking he wants to talk about last night."  
  
There was such a long pause inside the bedroom that Pervinca knocked again. "Pippin?"  
  
"Uh... You think?"  
  
"I'm almost sure."  
  
Pippin frowned and opened the door when he had his shirt tucked in. He leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms, a worried expression tugging at his face. "What do I say then?"  
  
"I don't know yet. Though I think it would be wise to deny anything about the Brandybucks, especially Merry." She glanced over him. "You look a bit tired. Did you sleep well last night?"  
  
A red tint appeared on Pippin's cheeks. "I slept fine, Vinca, thanks." He started walking towards the dining room, Pervinca following closely.  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yes! I'm fine."  
  
Pervinca smiled knowingly to herself. "All right, I'll believe you. Though I don't see why you wouldn't think of a certain Brandybuck that could very well keep you up for awhile."  
  
Pippin kept quiet, trying to force down the heat that suddenly formed in his cheeks and ears.  
  
~*~  
  
Paladin sat quietly at the dining table, rubbing at his temples. That would definitely be the last time he ever drank eight mugs of ale in one night. Memories of last night fought to circulate around his mind until they were straight. He nodded, remembering how he had ordered some of his cousins to chase away the Brandybucks before real trouble could be caused. Luckily, the Brandybucks had flown by their choice. He had not caught sight of Pippin, though he decided that morning would be a good time.  
  
Paladin laughed at himself. A good time? Not with a pounding feeling in his forehead and a ringing in his ears that would not stop. He sighed. Hopefully, this would go smoothly.  
  
He looked up when Pippin entered the dining room and sat down beside him. "You wanted to talk to me, Da?" he asked, glancing at him.  
  
Paladin nodded. "I just wanted to ask if you had noticed any sort of disruption at the party last night."  
  
Peregrin faked a thoughtful expression. "No... I don't think I did. What sort of disruption was there?"  
  
There was a brief pause. "Well... Some of the Brandybuck boys were there."  
  
"Really?" Pippin tried to hide his smile.  
  
"Yes. You didn't see any of them?"  
  
Pippin shook his head. "No, I didn't."  
  
"Hmm... Well, if you didn't, then I suppose you may go."  
  
A sigh of relief could be heard coming from outside the door, and Pippin hurried to draw back Paladin's attention. "Yes, Father." He sighed and stood, then sauntered out of the door.  
  
Paladin quirked an eyebrow. "Father? Since when did he start calling me that?" 


	18. Kidnapped Well, Sort Of

Chapter Eighteen: Kidnapped (Well, Sort Of)  
  
A/N: I'm back for another round. Shout out to the reviewers-Aruraya (Sorry about the wait), Natta (Me, too), Chocolat Elf (*Blink* What?), and loveofthering (Hi, Mom!)  
  
~*~  
  
Three weeks passed slowly, drawling on in the quiet remains of February, slowly waiting for its chance to yield to a much longed-for March. Pippin hoped that it would soon. The Shire weather had quickly warmed as the time passed on through January and now February, allowing the snow to melt and the ground to once again appear.  
  
Pippin sighed dreamily and waltzed about outside while Pervinca laughed and sat on a bench, watching him for a quiet moment in the light afternoon chill. "You know, Pippin," she began, standing and walking up to the younger Took, "I think you are happier now than ever."  
  
"Of course," he stated as he stopped dancing and turned to look at Pervinca with a wistful expression. "It's the oddest thing. I guess you don't realize what you have until you lose it. Luckily, I've gained most of it back."  
  
"Hopefully, Da will stop being such a grouch and let you start seeing Merry again. I know he won't listen to word of reason, but perhaps we can try to persuade him later. But for now, it has to be in secret. Though I don't see how it is going to work out. We'll think of a plan, though. Don't worry."  
  
Pippin smiled at his sister and came closer to her. "I keep forgetting to thank you for the party. And don't pretend like you're an innocent; I know you had something to do with it... You don't know how much that meant to me."  
  
"Though I have a good guess," she replied, a smile lighting her delicate face as well. "It makes me happy when you are happy. You don't need to thank me."  
  
"Perhaps... But what did Pimpernel have to do with any of it?"  
  
Pervinca raised her eyebrows, a confused expression lighting her delicate features. "Pimpernel? What? She didn't have anything to do with it. What are you talking about?"  
  
"Well, she-" Pippin smirked. "She must have done it by herself. She must have known somehow. During the party, she chased away the girls that were stopping me and I think she must have seen the whole episode with Merry in the backyard."  
  
"She's more than what she makes herself out to be."  
  
"Indeed. But, I think it's best left alone. She has her own plans." He nodded his head towards the smials. "Let's go back inside. It's a bit chilly out here."  
  
~*~  
  
A figure clad in black sat outside of Pippin's window that night-watching, waiting. A small smile crept upon his face as he gently scratched his chin with a gloved hand and lightly rested the other hand on a small satchel beside him. He softly hummed as the light from the window dimmed and vanished, replaced by the shrouding darkness that engulfed everything in a mere second. Sitting amid the sharp thorns of the barren bushes, he waited ten minutes more before standing up and picking out all of the clinging thorns in his dark cloak. He breathed a short sigh, picking up his satchel, slinging it across his shoulder, and starting for the side door, his body quick and nimble as his feet softly pattered across the ground and his cloak sweeping out behind him to trail in the dirt. Crouching down, he quickly glanced left and right as he approached the back door and slowly twisted the knob until it made a soft click in the night silence. He inched open the door with a graceful ease, pausing and slowing the pace when it creaked from old hinges.  
  
Once it was open far enough, he slipped inside. His eyes quickly adjusted to the inside darkness and he slunk to his left after closing the door, quietly following the hall until it reached another door on the right side of the hall. He peeked inside to make sure he had the right room and nodded to himself when he found that is was. Making a mental note of the area, he bypassed the room and melded into the darker shadows of the wide hallways as he pulled his cloak hood farther down to cover more of his face.  
  
As he came up on other doors, he paused and peered into the rooms until he came upon the second room that he looked for: a bedroom. Quietly, he sneaked into the room and undid the fastenings on his satchels, pulling out five blood-red roses and setting them carefully onto the end table beside the bed. His gloved fingers gently pulled back, and he smiled as he looked upon the long, curly mass of honey brown hair that dangled from the pillow and the rosy cheeks and feminine eyes, closed in a pleasant sleep. He pressed his fingers to his lips and blew a kiss to her as he stood and retied the satchel fastenings and exited the room just as he had come.  
  
"And now," he whispered to himself, once again walking down the hallway with careful ease. The third room would be a bit more difficult to find. He rounded a corner and checked more rooms: a bathroom, three bedrooms, the kitchen, the dining room, the sitting room, and another bathroom.  
  
He sighed as he continued on his way, rounding corners and slinking down passageways until he came to the end of one. There was another door on his left, probably the last one that he had not checked. He quietly went towards it, turning the handle and opening the door, almost forgetting to go slow. He thrust his head into the room when the door allowed it and looked around. A smile came to his lips as he congratulated himself; he had found the right room. Stepping over to the desk, he crouched down and slid open the wooden drawers, fumbling around, looking for something. The first and second drawer had nothing of interest, and he opened the third drawer.  
  
After fingering through some objects, his hands came to rest on a small bundle of envelopes wrapped with string in the far corner of the desk. Pausing for a moment, he decided it wouldn't hurt to look, and he carefully took them out and walked to the window, squinting in the darkness as he tried to read the print on them by moonlight. His eyebrows rose as he recognized the print and he quickly stuffed the bundle into his satchel.  
  
With that done, he went back to the drawer and found a quill pen. He carefully set it onto the desk and pulled out a small sheet of paper with a note written on it, laying that down beside the pen, planning it so it seemed as though it looked like the note was written recently.  
  
The figure smirked and grabbed his leather satchel, slipping the loose cords around his arm so that the bag lay carefully across his back. With a fleetingly look at the desk, he wandered back over to the door and stepped into the hall, closing the door behind him.  
  
He began to follow the hall, bringing up a mental image of his destination, retracing his steps with a hesitant step or two. Bypassing the sitting room, he smiled and remembered which way to go: a bathroom, three bedrooms, the kitchen, the dining room, the sitting room, and another bathroom -only... backwards.  
  
He nodded to himself as he passed the correct rooms, pleased with his nearly photographic memory. As he reached the last bathroom, he hurried forward and paused as he nearly unknowingly went by the first room he had seen. He stepped back and slowly pushed open the door until it let him in. Eyeing the room, he carefully stepped around a few objects on the ground and made his way across the small room until he stopped by the foot of a bed.  
  
There lay Pippin, swaddled by several layers of blankets and two pillows. The figure smiled and quietly stepped around the bed until he stood next to Pippin. Slipping his cloak down farther over his head, he reached out and put his hand across Pippin's mouth, startling the hobbit from his sleep. Pippin blinked at the figure and then tried to sit up and yell for help, but the figure in his bedroom kept a firm grip on his mouth. His eyes widened as the figure bent closer to him.  
  
"Keep quiet," he whispered, low yet audible. "Follow my directions and obey me. Don't speak." He loosed his grip on Pippin's mouth. "Stand and follow me. We're taking a little trip."  
  
Pippin looked like he wanted to say something but kept quiet upon the figure's orders. He wondered if the figure had any weapon, but quickly dropped the thought. Pippin stood, paused, and glanced down at his pajamas, wondering something.  
  
The figure evidently noticed Pippin's hesitation and glanced down as well. He sighed and nodded to Pippin's closet. "Grab something warm and let's go."  
  
Pippin nodded and rushed over, fingering through his closet until he had found his blue jacket and scarf. He hurriedly put them on over his pajamas and followed the figure out into the hall and finally into the backyard.  
  
~*~  
  
Ten minutes later, Pippin and the figure were walking across the hilly countryside of Whitwell when Pippin spoke up. "Where are you taking me?"  
  
"Somewhere."  
  
Pippin frowned. "Well, I suppose that would be right. After all, somewhere is somewhere, but it could be anywhere. I'm pretty sure it isn't nowhere, if you get what I'm saying. So, I'll ask you again. Specifically, where are you taking me?"  
  
The figure cast a precarious glance at Pippin. The young Took couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw an amused smile cross the stranger's lips. "You'll see when we get there. It isn't far now."  
  
Pippin cocked his head at the stranger while they kept walking. "Have I met you somewhere before? You seem familiar."  
  
"And so I am. You are familiar to me, too. And, yes, you have met me before."  
  
"Well then, who are you?"  
  
The figure kept his head turned towards the land in front of them as he replied. "Ah, another question which will be answered in time."  
  
Pippin rolled his eyes dramatically, even though the stranger couldn't see. "Fine. I'll be patient."  
  
An hour later, however, Pippin's patience had started to wear. He was cold, hungry, and tired, which didn't help in the least bit. "Are we there yet?" He had trouble seeing in the dark since the moon went down, but he still could luckily keep track of the figure walking beside him. His sense of direction had been lost a few miles back.  
  
"Almost."  
  
"Good." Pippin sighed as they began to ascend a hill, but when they paused at the top, he gasped and smiled. The small but cozy lights down at the bottom of the hill were familiar to him. "It's Brandy Hall!"  
  
The figure smiled with Pippin and nodded. "Follow me."  
  
Quietly and without much trouble, the two descended the hill and went around the front of Brandy Hall until they reached a back door and stepped inside. Pippin grinned to himself as he remembered the hall he now stood in, gently lit by small candles on the walls. He paused in the hallway and looked to the figure, who had removed his cloak and hung it on a lone chair. Pippin scrunched his face into a quizzical stare.  
  
The figure turned out to be a hobbit who looked a little bit like Merry. A massive mob of tightly wound golden curls bundled together on the top of his head, and his green eyes sparkled, alight with mischief. Pippin recognized the familiar face in an instant, and he nearly jumped on the taller hobbit. "Berilac, you old fraud! How dare you kidnap me and drag me here to this most unbearable place?" He smiled mischievously, relieved to be in a familiar place with a person he knew quite well.  
  
"Well, Peregrin Took, master of mischief, I was rather surprised you didn't figure it out sooner!"  
  
Pippin clasped Berilac's hand and slowly turned his head as a thought appeared into his head. "Hey, Berilac. Where's Merry?"  
  
~*~  
  
Meriadoc grumbled as he sat up in bed, trying to stand and answering the light knocking that was coming from his door. "Whaaaattt?" he whined, more to himself than anyone. He stumbled out of bed and trundled to the door, pausing before opening it. He noticed that the time was 2 o'clock in the morning, and he grumbled even more.  
  
He threw open the door before another set of annoying knocks could sound out. "What do you-"  
  
His mouth continued to move, but no sound came out. Slightly shorter than he was, Pippin grinned happily up at him. 


	19. Why, Yes, My Dear Brandybuck

Chapter Nineteen: Why, Yes, My Dear Brandybuck  
  
A/N: This is a bit long of a chapter. I had intended it to be really short, but then again intending isn't a word that should be used when referring to writing. Thank you to my loyal and sweet reviewers. Without you, I wouldn't have the encouragement to continue such works.  
  
~*~  
  
"Are you insane?" That was the first question that Merry directed towards Berilac when he was given an explanation. In his arms lay Pippin, quiescent in the circle of his arms, and across from him stood Berilac, guiltily staring down to the floor, all three in Merry's bedroom.  
  
"Well, Merry, I just thought-"  
  
"You could have been caught, Berilac! Do you know how much trouble we could have gotten into-how much trouble we're going to get into when Mum finds out about this? She'll have both our heads!" Merry scolded, holding Pippin tighter. "Did you really think this was going to work out? I don't want him to leave, of course, but he can't stay here freely."  
  
"Now, wait just a minute, Merry!" Berilac took a breath and began. "First off, I agree that it is a risky plan, but I also have to say that I have most of the details planned so that we won't be mortally wounded for life. You see, before I grabbed Pippin, I left a note on Paladin's desk-"  
  
"You were in Da's office?" Pippin piped up, curious.  
  
"Yes. Now, as I was saying, I left a note for Paladin, saying that Pippin was to be spending two weeks with Frodo at Bag End to be tutored. I'm sorry, Pippin, but I had to forge your signature since I used first person."  
  
"First person?"  
  
"Yes, you know, Pippin. I, me, my, mine-get the picture?"  
  
Merry glared at Berilac. "But if Paladin doesn't recognize the handwriting- "  
  
"Handwriting? I wrote it fast; there is no real handwriting." Berilac smiled. "And as for the rest, I sent a message to Frodo explaining this whole situation, and if anyone asks, Pippin shall be at Bag End."  
  
"But I thought I was staying here."  
  
"You are, Pip. It's just going to seem like you're at Bag End."  
  
Pippin cocked his head, thinking, then shrugged and settled back down.  
  
"All we need to do for the rest of the time is either hide Pippin in your room or explain to Aunt Ezzy about the situation." Berilac smiled at Merry, awaiting his cousin's agreement.  
  
"Mum won't like this," Merry began, sitting back and releasing Pippin so that the younger could sit beside him. "We can't explain to her what we're doing. These adults have caused us enough trouble... And we can't hide him...so, we'll have to leave and go somewhere else for those few weeks."  
  
"Merry?" both Pippin and Berilac inquired.  
  
"Da created a new area of smials down in the southern area of Buckland...er, Bridgewater, I think he called it. If I ask him, maybe we can stay down there for those two weeks. It'd be easier than staying here."  
  
Berilac seemed intrigued, head nodding and lips curving upwards. "True, but how can we convince him to allow us to stay down there?"  
  
Merry frowned and looked from Berilac to Pippin. "Well... I suppose we can say that we're tidying it up a bit."  
  
The other two nodded and agreed before the three started planning for the weeks ahead.  
  
~*~  
  
"Da, left for Bag End to be tutored by Frodo. Won't be home until-what is that, a two? Yes, two weeks from now. See you then...Pippin." Paladin set down the note he was reading back onto the desk and sighed with a mixture of relief and annoyance. His son could be right foolish at times, but perhaps he was starting to grow up if he decided to be tutored by someone, especially by a hobbit like Frodo Baggins.  
  
The Took walked out of his office, shoving his hands into his trouser pockets, and meandered into the dining room where his wife was already eating first breakfast, pausing near the doorway.  
  
"Hello, dear," she said as she forked another helping of fried eggs onto her plate, not looking up to see the forlorn expression splayed across Paladin's face.  
  
"Good morning, Eglantine," he replied, sauntering over and taking a seat next to her, folding his hands neatly in his lap.  
  
"Where are the girls?"  
  
"Asleep," he replied off-handedly, barely making a dent in his food with the point of a butter-knife.  
  
"And Peregrin?"  
  
"Hmm? Oh...gone to Bag End."  
  
"Really?" Eglantine dabbed her lips with a crème-colored napkin, wiping crumbs from her lips. "Why to Bag End?"  
  
"Frodo shall be tutoring him." Paladin glanced off with a faraway look, tapping his fingers against the back of his other hand when he put his hands back down onto his lap.  
  
Eglantine looked up to him and frowned at Paladin. "Oh, I see. Well, for how long?"  
  
"Two weeks."  
  
"Hmm, well that's not so long, then. A good occasion, actually, to be tutored by that sweet Frodo boy. Pippin will learn quite a bit in that case. Are you all right, Paladin?" Eglantine leaned over her chair's armrest towards him when he did not respond. "I asked if you were all right, Paladin."  
  
"What? Oh, yes, I am. Don't worry about me, dear. I'm perfectly all right." He smiled, grimly to Eglantine noticing. She furrowed her brow at him but said no more to her unusually silent husband as she turned back to her breakfast, shaking her head.  
  
~*~  
  
"Do you need something, dear?" Esmerelda asked as Merry entered the sitting room, carefully walking up towards his mother.  
  
"I was just looking for Da, actually. Do you know where he is?" he asked, clasping both hands behind his back as he spoke.  
  
"Well, no, actually. Though you could try outside in the garden. You know your father, always trying to get that patch of strawberries ready to grow sooner than usual. Takes pride in his garden more and more." She sighed and glanced down at the book in her lap.  
  
"They should be pretty big strawberries this year, Mum. The ground is softening a bit. We should have a full batch by the end of May, maybe the beginning of June. They could make strawberry jam for months." Merry smiled and kneeled before his mother, the smile turning to a frown when he noticed her sad expression. "Mum? What is it?"  
  
"Oh, it's nothing, Merry. Just a little headache, I suppose. But tell me, how are you?"  
  
"Me?" Merry paused a moment, thinking. "I'm fine, Mum. Why?"  
  
Esmerelda nodded towards the door. "I thought you were looking for your father."  
  
"Well, yes, I was." He glanced down at the floor before standing and carefully placing a kiss upon her forehead. "Feel better soon then, Mum."  
  
She nodded and smiled to him as he left. Sighing, she continued to read, frowning even more. "How could he leave her for another woman? She was everything to him!" she exclaimed as she read on, getting caught up once more in the story.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hey, Da! Can I talk to you for a bit?" Merry asked as he came up behind his father, stooped over the dirt that would eventually sprout strawberry plants.  
  
Saradoc glanced up from his scrutiny of the soil and grinned at his son. "Certainly. What about? Don't tell me you got into trouble again."  
  
Merry laughed, hoping that the nervous edge in his voice did not seep out. "Trouble? Nah. I was just going to ask you a bit about that new section of Buckland. You know, Bridewater? Anyway, I was wondering, uh... Has it been finished yet?"  
  
"Yes. It's been finished for a week and a half actually. Why?" Saradoc continued to trace the soil with his hands, counting out the seeds he had prepared.  
  
"Well, you see, I was hoping that Berilac and I could go down there for a while and sort of...uh..."  
  
"Give it a few homey touches?" his father finished. He nodded. "Well, I don't see any harm in it. Though I'd be up here in Brandy Hall with your mother for most of that time, I suppose. How long do you think you'll be staying?"  
  
"Oh, about... two weeks?"  
  
"Two weeks? Well, I suppose. Yes, actually. That's a good idea. We did need someone to see out the furnishing that still needs to be done. You can do that, can't you, Merry?"  
  
"Of course, Da!" Merry exclaimed, happy that his plans were finally working. "You know I'd be happy too! I'll leave right now, in fact! Well, as soon as I'm finished packing a bit, anyway. Erm, thank you!" The young Brandybuck rushed away to start just that, leaving behind his very baffled father.  
  
"Um, all right, then," he muttered, shaking his head as Merry ran through the front door, almost forgetting to turn to knob in the middle.  
  
~*~  
  
After he had explained to Berilac and Pippin what the plan was, the two Brandybucks packed for the trip ahead. Merry had lent a few of his clothes to Pippin for awhile, though many of them were just a bit too large on the smaller hobbit. Pippin often found himself tugging at the trousers so that they would not fall past his hips as he tried to find suspenders. Fortunately, he found a pair of suspenders that could fit his height and carefully put them on. He put his favorite blue jacket over it and was set.  
  
Slinging their packs over their shoulders, the three decided to take the back way to not get caught. They sneaked around the back parts of the smials until they were far enough south of Brandy Hall to get back onto the road. Occasionally they would stop and take a short rest or have a snack. Along the way, they joked and sung songs they made up spontaneously, usually with it being Berilac who started the song and Pippin and Merry finishing it.  
  
"The bees go a hum, hum, hum  
  
and a buzz, buzz, buzz.  
  
But never was there a bee who  
  
Said were and was!"  
  
The other two laughed at the short ditty. "Berilac, that makes no sense!" Merry chuckled.  
  
"It makes perfect sense!" Berilac retorted. "Think about it. Bees don't live in the past. They only live in the present, so they don't say were and was!"  
  
"They don't say anything, actually." Pippin smiled. "But I see your point. Let's try another shall we? Uh.  
  
Down, down! Up and up!  
  
I'm walking down the road.  
  
Up, up! Down and down!  
  
So I'll shrug off this heavy load!"  
  
He slung his pack off his shoulder and carefully set it down, sitting next to it. The other two sat with him. "Well, Merry, it's your turn," Pippin said, stretching out.  
  
"Well, then, let's see.." He grinned mischievously and glanced to Pippin.  
  
"Down the lane lives the old farmer Maggot  
  
With watermelons grosser than old stew.  
  
He lives with his wife, who's a real fine hatchet,  
  
And he's got the meanest dogs too!"  
  
Pippin burst out in a fit of giggles and couldn't stop until Berilac hoisted him up from the ground. Smiling with a wide grin, Pippin decided to finish the song.  
  
"Two pie-pinching cousins went there one day  
  
to get them some of his good old food!  
  
But they fell down and broke their crowns  
  
And they didn't get any watermelon, too!"  
  
Berilac shook his head. "I don't get any of it, though I suppose it isn't intended for me to get."  
  
"Oh, that's all right. Sort of an inside joke, you see." Merry smiled at Pippin and nodded towards the road. "Well, let's get going again." 


	20. Letters and Distractions

Chapter Twenty: Letters and Distraction  
  
A/N: I just realized something.... Aruraya is now 14! I'm only older than you by two months and two days (May 19th), but Happy Belated Birthday still! Which also means.... this story is over a year old! Holy bejeebers! And, since it's the only thing I can do, this chapter is dedicated to Aruraya for a late birthday present.  
  
Also if you didn't know, Bridgewater (the name at least) is not my creation. It's actually the town where a few of my cousins live. I just borrowed the name.  
  
~*~  
  
Bridgewater appeared when the three travelling hobbits breached another green hill. Merry's eyes widened as he realized why exactly it was titled Bridgewater. A clear stream meandered around and down the hill, and lying across the stream was a small, wooden bridge, artistically crafted, smooth, and durable so that hobbit wagons could cross it with ease.  
  
Looking up, Meriadoc also saw something else rather unique about Bridgewater. The front door to the smials was not painted green as usual for hobbit doors, but rather it was an earth-tinted brown that boasted gold leaves engraved in the round rim of the door. It blended in surprisingly well with the grass of the hill, only appearing as a patch of dirt to untrained eyes. Pippin smiled at Merry and began to walk towards the path and the bridge, calling back behind him, "If it's this lovely on the outside, I can only wonder what the inside looks like!"  
  
Berilac and Merry followed closely behind, the three halting at the door. With a tentative hand, Pippin turned the knob in the middle, gave the door a small push, and stepped back as the door swung wide to reveal the front hall.  
  
"Oooh," Berilac awed and pressed Pippin forwards into the smials. Following, Merry closed the door behind them as they looked about at the newly furnished place, complete with polished wooden floors and smoothly arched ceilings of eggshell white. It seemed Merry's father had been right- the smials were rather barren of furniture, save a few more important objects here and there. He quickly passed Pippin and went to search the smials for a kitchen, hoping that the pantry had been filled before hand.  
  
He looked through a few other rooms, recognizing two as bedrooms, one as a washroom, and another as a dining room.  
  
When he had finally found the kitchen, he quickly looked into the pantry. "Pigeons!" he muttered and stepped back out. He thought a moment and smiled as an idea formed in his clever mind. "Berilac, do you mind going shopping for some food?"  
  
"How soon?"  
  
"Right now. There's none in the pantry, you see." He walked out of the kitchen area and nearly tripped over Pippin, who had come to investigate as well.  
  
"No food!" the young Took exclaimed. "You'd better leave now, Berilac! We might starve today if you don't."  
  
"All right, all right," Berilac agreed as he entered the kitchen from the other opening, quickly glancing around the room though not going near the pantry. "But why can't you go, Mer?"  
  
"I just want to estimate what we'll be needing for the next few weeks. I'll go next time. I promise."  
  
"Hmm... Well then, I'll be back soon." He nodded once to Merry and Pippin, turned, and left.  
  
Pippin scuttled over to the pantry, shaking his head. "How can there be no..." He trailed off as he fully looked inside the pantry, then turned to Merry. "Mer, what are you talking about? There's some food in here."  
  
"I know."  
  
~*~  
  
Berilac quietly whistled a familiar tune as he sauntered over the bridge and down the path again towards a more westerly direction, making for one of the rafts that he knew would be at the dock. "Hmm... Maybe I should give Merry the... Yes, I think I'll do that now before I go," he muttered as he stopped mid-stride and turned back around. "It'll only take me a moment."  
  
Rummaging through his pack, which he had forgotten to take off earlier, he found what he was looking for and held it in his hand as he strode forward jauntily. He smiled, thinking of how pleased Merry would be when he returned.  
  
He quietly entered through the door to Bridgewater and advanced down the hall, still smiling. "Merry-" he paused as laughing reached his ears. A pair of voices followed, broken here and there by a chuckle.  
  
"And then you take the butter-"  
  
"And I'll spread it across his forehead while he's sleeping."  
  
He rounded the corner and his previous smile began to fade before an even larger smile replaced it. "Well, hello, you two. Hope I wasn't interrupting anything?"  
  
Merry looked towards Berilac as he heard him, his face going dead serious. Dissolved in a fit of giggles on the floor, Pippin looked up as well and quickly halted his laughter. "Uh-h-hello, Berilac. What're you doing back here so soon?"  
  
"Well, I just figured I would deliver these to you since I forgot to earlier. They have your names on them, anyway."  
  
He tossed a bundle of papers to Merry. After fumbling with the bundle for a moment, Merry recognized what they were: envelopes. As he pulled off the string and looked closer, his eyes widened and he glanced towards Pippin in disbelief. "T-The letters."  
  
Pippin seemed confused for a moment. "What lette-" He stopped as Merry held them up for him to see. He recognized five of the envelopes in the bundle for certain. They were white with the name 'Merry Brandybuck' written in his own scrawled handwriting. "I can't believe it.. It's really them! I had wondered where they had gotten off to." Pippin glanced imploringly at Berilac. "Where did you get these, Berilac?"  
  
"Well, when I helped you flee last night, I looked through your father's desk to see if he had a few writing utensils so that it looked like you had written the note in a hurry and left it on his desk. While I was doing that, I found those in one of his drawers. I saw Merry's name on the first one and decided to take it with me."  
  
Merry smiled appreciatively. "Well, thank you, Berilac. That solves that mystery."  
  
"I just don't get why my father would want us separated that badly. Sure, he's angry about us being so close-"  
  
"Actually," Merry interrupted, "I talked to Frodo a long time ago. I don't remember a whole lot of what he said, but I think he told me that your father might feel threatened by us."  
  
Pippin knitted his eyebrows at Merry. "Why would he feel like that? No offence, Merry, but you aren't exactly a very threatening hobbit."  
  
"I think that when Frodo said 'threatened' he didn't mean in the physical sense. I think he meant that Uncle Paladin felt threatened by our relationship, like he might be losing his only son to me."  
  
Berilac whistled. "That was deep, Merry. Very deep." A pointed look silenced him.  
  
Pippin shrugged. "I suppose. Da has never been a very rational thinker. Ha, this drove me farther away, I think. It would have been better if he just paid more attention to me. Maybe stop putting so much work into the fields around Tuckborough and start spending more time at home. I guess I just don't understand him."  
  
"Like he doesn't understand you. At least, not until you let him."  
  
A smiled formed on Pippin's lips. "That's probably it, isn't it? He really doesn't think that I'm a good-for-nothing, does he?"  
  
"'Course not, Pip. You've never done anything to really upset him, and you know he isn't affected by rumors from the rest of the Shire. He's lived with them for most of his life. You know how the rest of the Shire feels about your line of family with all that fairy nonsense circling round."  
  
"Hehe. All right, I suppose. Hey, Berilac, I-" Pippin paused and looked around the room, noting the older Brandybuck's absence. "Oh well. Now, when are we going to read those letters?"  
  
"How 'bout tonight? Right before we carry out the 'other' plan."  
  
"Sounds like a plan."  
  
~*~  
  
Once Berilac returned from grocery shopping, the three set about preparing a dinner of vegetable stew, biscuits, and pork, saving the apple tarts for supper. The pork preparation had gone to Berilac while Merry and Pippin decided to work on the vegetables.  
  
Merry smiled as he glanced over to Pippin, noticing the Took was having a hard time with the chopping knife Berilac had brought him. "Do you want help with that, Pip?"  
  
"Huh? No, I can do this. Just takes quite a while," Pippin replied, not looking up from the carrot he was chopping.  
  
Meriadoc smirked and cocked his head at Pippin. "Oh, well, I just thought," he started, stepping around the counter to come up behind Pippin, "that you would go a bit faster if..." He trailed off as he circled his arms around Pippin's and rested his hands atop the younger's hands, guiding them to a different position with one hand around the handle and two fingers of the other hand pressed on the dull side of the knife. "You might go faster if you started at the tip of the knife -yes, that's it- and bring it down towards you, like that," he breathed in Pippin's ear, showing him the actions.  
  
Pippin shivered and stared down at the carrot beneath his hands. "O-oh. Thank you, Merry." He blushed when Merry pressed his left cheek against Pippin's right one to get a better look over his friend's shoulder.  
  
"Just like that, Pip. You've got it." He pulled away and returned to his vegetable pile, not noticing the red tinge that had accumulated on Pippin's face. 


	21. Reacquainted and The Storm Brews

A/N: After much thought and deliberation, I have decided to continue on with this story. I know, I know. It's been a long time and you might be wondering where I have been the past few months. For starters, I am now a freshman in high school. Secondly, I am writing a series of my own novels that should be finished within the next few years. I have been writing original fiction due to the fact that I wanted to experiment in writing. My writing has evolved since I last updated on this story. I hope it shows.  
  
Secondly, I am trying to write myself out of a ten-fold block here. I just saw ROTK today, however, so therefore I have plenty of new inspiration. (Especially from the Merry/Pippin moments!) Sooo.let's get on with it!  
  
_  
  
Chapter Twenty-One: Reacquainted/The Storm Brews  
  
_  
  
Low, arising flames crackled in the hearth of Bridgewater's bare sitting room, shedding light and warmth to ward off a chilled night. Pippin figured he would have been warm even if he was not sitting in front of the fire, for he was snugly wrapped in one of Merry's heavy jackets. He pressed the collar to his nose and sniffed. The jacket smelled like Merry, of fresh spring mornings and dewy grass with a hint of boyish sweetness that only Meriadoc possessed. He inhaled the scent deeply and then breathed out a contented sigh.  
  
"Well, the tea is done," piped a voice from behind him, and he looked to see Merry rounding the hall's corner, a tray of fresh-brewed herbal tea in his hands. The older hobbit paused, smiling at his cousin sitting on the floor. "Enjoying yourself, Pippin?"  
  
Pippin realized he still held the collar close to his nose, and he quickly released it and turned his face to the fire, hoping Merry would mistake his certain blush for a reaction from the heat of the flames. He jumped an inch when Merry sat next to him on the floor and placed the tray before them.  
  
Merry noticed his jump and frowned, puzzled by Pippin's sudden nervousness. "'m sorry for scaring you, Pip. . . Are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine, Merry," Pippin whispered, still staring at the flames, appearing fascinated by the movements of the fire. Merry gazed at him, wanting to reach out and guide Pippin to look at him. Instead of taking Pippin's face in his hands, he reached out and hovered his hand over Pippin's, hesitating before lowering it. Pippin inhaled sharply and glanced down to Merry's older, smooth hand on top of his. His blank look turned into a smile, and he overturned his hand to grasp Merry's.  
  
After a second, Merry looked up with smiling eyes. "Pippin," he whispered in the still of the room. "When you were at home all those months, did you- did you. . ." He swallowed, nervous. "Did you ever think of me? Really think?"  
  
Pippin glanced up to Merry and held similar eyes in thought. His eyes flickered once, and he settled his gaze on Merry's eyes again. "Yes," was his slow, breathy reply, low as though he was afraid to ruin the perfect quiet. "All the time. Every day."  
  
Before Merry could ask any more questions, Berilac strolled through the room, a large book clutched in both of his hands. Pippin, startled, jerked away from Merry's hand and focused once again on the fire. Merry sighed and looked up as Berilac noticed them. "Well, boys, I'm turning in. It's going to be a long day tomorrow, with all the 'furnishing' we are going to do." He chuckled and continued on, throwing a 'Good-night' over his shoulder and stepping through the door, closing it behind him.  
  
Merry grunted and turned back to Pippin, and he knew his chance at questions was gone from the abashed look on Pippin's face. He looked at the fire for a moment before getting up onto his feet. "I think I'm going to take Berilac's advice and turn in, too. You'll be all right?"  
  
Pippin made a bare hint of a nod, and Merry turned to go before he remembered the envelopes stashed in his pocket. He pulled them out and sorted through them before taking out the letters addressed to Pippin. He let them fall next to the younger hobbit on the floor, and he stuffed the others back into his pocket as Pippin glanced down at the envelopes. As he began to walk away, he saw Pippin pluck one thick envelope from the floor and pull at the seal. He reached his appointed bedroom door and closed it behind him.  
  
Advancing to his bed, he pulled the rest of the letters out of his shirt pocket and placed them on the bedside table, deciding they could be read tomorrow morning, even though he felt anxious to read what Pippin had written. He stepped around a small chest on the floor and plopped down upon a bed twice as large as he needed. His muscles ached from the day's travels and events, and he was overall exhausted. He sighed and fell back against his pillows, pulling the coverlet over himself. It was not long before sleep found him.  
  
He awoke in the dark of the night, hours later than he had fallen asleep. Rain pattered on the ground outside, soaking the window, but calming Merry's senses. He exhaled and turned his head into his soft pillow before he realized what, or rather who, had awoken him.  
  
The other side of the bed dipped down farther as someone slipped into the bed beside him. A whisper of his name revealed the person: Pippin. Merry smiled in the dark and lay still on his side until a hand came to rest on his shoulder. "Merry!"  
  
He turned his head and smiled, blinking, at Pippin's wide-eyed expression that he barely made out through the dark. "What is it, Pip?"  
  
"Merry," Pippin whispered, gripping his shoulder, "did you mean all you wrote in your letters? Everything?"  
  
Merry had to think a minute about what Pippin asked, and then he leaned up to cup Pippin's face. "Everything."  
  
Pippin smiled and asked, "And your promise? Will you stay by me forever? Keep me safe?"  
  
"Yes." Merry wrapped his arms around Pippin as he lay back down, letting the Took rest beside him. "I'll be there, always. Even in your darkest hours."  
  
With his cheek pressed against Merry's chest, Pippin sighed and breathed, "Thank you, Merry. You're the greatest friend I've ever had." He turned his face into Merry's and closed his eyes, suddenly tired. His breathing began to even out, and he murmured one more thing, slightly muffled, before sleep overcame him. "I love you."  
  
The Brandybuck's arms tensed before going slack around Pippin. He placed his head lightly upon Pippin's, his chin buried in a knot of brown curls. "'Love you, too."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The rain continued to pour, harder until it beat at everything on the ground. A hobbit on a pony raced through the night, the rider cloaked and hooded to shield the rain, the pony blanketed. Both were soaked to the bone. The pony trotted on the road, for the rider could only see the road through the dark and the rain. The hobbit brought his hand over his pocket, just to be certain the envelope he was delivering was still in his pocket.  
  
He sighed when he found it was. Berilac Brandybuck would have been terribly devastated if he had lost it along the path. He had no real need to make haste, though he figured he was approaching Hobbiton, considering the amount of time he had ridden already from Buckland.  
  
He wondered briefly what the letter said, but then, he thought, he was only a messenger. The contents of the letter were not his business. But it was addressed to Frodo Baggins. He had heard the owner of Bag End was nearly as odd as old, vanished Bilbo, though perhaps a bit more civil when it came to social terms. He chuckled and shook his head. Like he thought before, it was not his business to know.  
  
He gripped the pommel of his saddle as his pony came to a halt quickly and reared. He twisted around the neck to see that a great amount of water blocked his path. Grumbling, he jumped down from the pony and went to investigate. Surely the water level was not yet too high. It had been only raining a few hours, though the rain could drench a person in instants.  
  
As he stepped into the pool of water and continued to wade in, the water rose to his knees, and soon up to his thighs even at the edge. He gave a disgruntled yell and waded back to his pony, climbing on again. The pony could not make it through that, especially if it was deeper further out. Quickly he thought of other paths to take into Hobbiton from where he was, but he could think of only two and he feared that those two were flooded as well. The rain was soaking him, and he knew he had better find a place to lodge and dry out in warmth before he caught sickness.  
  
Sighing, he turned and rode off into the darkness.  
  
__  
  
[A side note: Watch for new chapters in the following week, and thank you to the reviewers! Your comments have been very appreciated.] 


	22. A Good Joke, A Bad Joke, And Berilac

Chapter 22: A Good Joke, A Bad Joke, and Berilac  
  
_Notes (where the author pleads for forgiveness and rewards good patience): My good-hearted ladies and gentlemen, (or perhaps just ladies), I shame myself. I made cheap promises the last time I updated, and I officially feel that I am a disgrace to all fanfiction and its dedicated authors and readers. Whether you've forgotten I existed or just placed me at the back of your mind, forever waiting, I am sure that when you have seen this at the top of the list or see a notification in your inbox, you have fallen victim to late update shock. I hereby apologize royally to all readers who have felt short-changed by my procrastination. There have been so many responses to this story, and so much love. Writing this story reminds me why writing is fun in the first place, and you guys make it so much more. I can't begin to tell you how much your encouragement and suggestions and butt-kicking pleadings have helped me evolve as a writer.  
  
Now that I've finished the pleading, here is the reward: the story is written out and finished! I have nothing more to write. There are only six chapters left to this story, and I for one will be very sorry to let it go. I will post the next chapter maybe this Sunday and every weekend after until the epilogue is uploaded and I can officially say good-bye to this once in a lifetime joy. And without further ado, here is chapter twenty- two._

* * *

Sunrays broke through the clouds just as they tipped over the green hillsides of Buckland. Tinier, darker clouds lingered in the west, the larger and lighter ones floating east over the land to dampen some other people's spirits. Merry didn't care whose spirits—just as long as the rain did not stay over his head. Water had, unfortunately, down-poured in such an abundance that thin trickles of rainwater had seeped under the door and ran down the main hallway of Bridgewater, soaking every floorboard on its way. Merry grimaced as he sloshed through the hallway towards the kitchen, intent on finding some towels or blankets to soak up the muddy, disgruntling intrusion.  
  
Pippin was still asleep in his bed, and Merry had no intent to wake the exhausted Took. Berilac must, however, already be awake since his bedroom was rather empty.  
  
After rummaging through the kitchen, Merry only came up with a small dishtowel and dropped it in front of the door. The towel floated on the water for a minute then sank the few inches to the floor. It seemed to add more to the debris than help soak up the water, and Merry sighed. He might have to pull the bedsheets off the beds and use them for awhile. He smiled as he had another idea and opened the front door hurriedly, only to have a great tide of water splash over his feet and into the hole. He growled and kicked at the water, only to nearly tumble onto his bottom in the ankle- deep pool. He grabbed the doorframe at the last second and pulled himself up to stand, looking outside for the first time. And he gasped.  
  
The entire front path leading to the door looked no better than the hallway, even though steady rivulets ran from the standing water into the river Brandywine. The river churned up around the banks of the Brandywine, rushing and pounding against the rocks beneath, creating white foam here and there.  
  
Stagnant water stood in gardening pots and ditches all over the front garden. Merry absently kicked at one gardening pot and sighed as it barely moved with the weight of the water. He jumped as laughing suddenly swept past his ears and his eyes shot over to the river. Berilac Brandybuck crouched there in the middle of a small raft with a short paddle clutched in his hands. "Good morning, cousin!"  
  
"Berilac!" Merry scampered to the river's edge, peering out at Berilac. "You fool! Get out of there!"  
  
"Oh, Merry, stop worrying. I've got this thing quite under control!" Berilac grinned and pushed his paddle down into the water, turning the raft towards the bank. "When's the last time you've been out in one of these, yourself? I can't quite remember."  
  
"I can't remember either. But you shouldn't be. The water is rushing too fast. You could hit a rock and sink!" Merry fisted his hands, wanting to knock some sense into Berilac. The river was carrying the stockier Brandybuck farther down the river, and Merry was not very sure if he could save him if he should happen to run into trouble.  
  
"No, Merry, that wouldn't happen. The river is too full for that." Berilac grinned wider and turned his gaze past Meriadoc. "Hullo, Pippin! Nice day, isn't it?"  
  
Merry also glanced over his shoulder to see Pippin scrambling up the roadside towards him, still clad in his pajamas, his feet drenched. "Not a nice day, at all, Berilac! Merry, the bedroom's flooded! And the kitchen! The food's getting wet, Merry!"  
  
"Berilac, come now! Get out of the river! We have real work to do!" Merry shouted as Pippin grabbed his coat's sleeve roughly. Pippin's eyes were alight with fear, probably because the pantry might be out of stock the longer they waited.  
  
Berilac nodded and pushed his paddle into the water, trying to turn the raft towards the bank again. But the river had other ideas, its swift current tugging at the opposite end of the raft and spinning it around Berilac's paddle. The Brandybuck's eyes widened as he realized what had happened. He paddled harder, reaching around his back to stop his flow. Nothing worked, and the raft rocked furiously beneath him. "Merry!"  
  
The two on the bank went scurrying down the riverside when they saw the calamity that Berilac was in. The pounding of the rapids grew louder, quickly drowning out Berilac's cries for help. Merry swallowed dryly and raced through his options in his mind, edging on a state of panic. There were saplings growing down the river, but as soon as he'd be able to snap them into a line, Berilac would be too far from his reach. Bridgewater was quickly becoming farther and farther away, so he couldn't turn back and find something to cast out to Berilac.  
  
He growled in dismay. He had to keep following Berilac down the river, no matter how far it led.  
  
A sudden snapping sound interrupted his thoughts, and he glanced at Berilac again. A part of the raft had ripped off from the base, and Berilac was holding the sides of the remaining raft in a death-grip. His fearful gaze shot over to Merry again. Merry shouted, "Hold on, Berilac!" He was not sure if Berilac had heard or not. The blood rushing in his own ears nearly deafened him.  
  
Merry half-smiled and puffed as he remembered that a low-lying stone bridge was farther downstream. He ran harder, shouting behind him for Pippin to hurry. If he could just get to that bridge before Berilac did . . .  
  
An urgent shout rang out from behind him, and Merry looked over his shoulder just in time to see Pippin stumble over some wet rocks and gyrate towards the river. His feet slamming hard into the ground, Merry could barely cry out before Pippin splashed into the water. Merry stopped with his arms outstretched, scanning over the river frantically. He sighed in short relief as Pippin's head resurfaced a distance away from him among the rapids. "Pippin! PIPPIN!" Merry yelled at the top of his lungs. "Hold on!"  
  
He began to run again, barreling down the path towards the bridge. Berilac had already gained some distance, and he didn't think he would make it for either of them. It was a good three or four minutes later when Merry didn't think he could run anymore, his lungs aching, when he saw that Berilac, abandoning his fear, had swam out with all his might to grab Pippin and hold him beside the raft as they were spun down-river. This gave Merry a burst of hope and speed, and with renewed courage he raced harder down beside the river. The bridge appeared soon, just beyond his vision. His feet barely hit the road as he ran, the gravel and dirt flying up with every step. His breathing turned to gasping as he rounded the bridge's corner, his feet suddenly drenched by the flooding water. The current swept up onto the bridge between the rails, the area beneath the bridge completely underwater. He searched the river, catching sight of Berilac still on the raft with Pippin following the river toward him.  
  
Merry crouched down on his hands and knees and slid his upper body between two of the rails, reaching out towards the river as far as he could reach. His knees were submerged beneath the overflow of water, but he kept them supported by the stone fencing as best he could. Berilac shifted on the raft as they came closer to Merry, his grip on Pippin changing so that one hand held Pippin's pajama collar and the other reached out to Merry's hand. Their hands clasped each other's mid-way, and Merry tugged upwards mightily with that arm, still reaching out for Pippin with his other hand. He caught him by the left elbow when he floated close enough. Carefully, he helped Berilac onto the space beside him. When Berilac was fully through the rails, he swung his other hand around and gripped Pippin by the arms, pulling him up as he retreated through the rails and onto the bridge. Pippin wheezed and floundered around like a fish as Merry fully pulled him up into his arms.  
  
Berilac coughed water from his throat and crawled over to Merry and Pippin, glancing over the both of them. Merry gathered Pippin into a strong embrace, rocking him back and forth and cooing gently into Pippin's ear to calm him. The young Took breathed a sigh of relief and clutched Merry's arms tightly. He looked up to Merry and smiled gently. "I'm all right, Mer. I'm all right. Just no more swimming for me."  
  
"Nor me," Berilac agreed and laid his head down on Merry's free shoulder. Merry wrapped his arm around him and clutched both his dearest cousins to him, realizing just how shaken the ordeal had left him.  
  
"I thought I'd lost you both, for sure." He buried his face into their wet hair, regaining his breath.  
  
"You'll never lose me, Merry," Pippin whispered. His eyes closed momentarily and then snapped open, wide. "Merry, the pantry is probably flooded by now."  
  
Merry paused, sweeping his hand through Pippin's hair and smiling. "We'll worry about that, later, Pip."

* * *

_Notes: There will be a deeper chapter next time. Until then, peace and happiness. -Lula_


	23. Paladin's Cross

Chapter 23: Paladin's Cross  
  
_A/N:_ Well, like I promised beforehand, it is Sunday today. And since it is also the 4th of July, I am hurriedly posting this before my many relatives arrive at our house to throw firecrackers at me and try to dash me in the kiddie pool. sigh Luckily for you however, I am sticking to my plan and therefore am giving you what you deserve. This chapter explains in depth why Paladin has been so overbearing. (The "Cross" in the title meaning misery.) Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Eglantine strode down the halls of Tookland, occupied with the bundles of cloth she had in her arms. When she arrived at the end of the hall, she peered into Paladin's study and widened her eyes at what she saw. Paladin stood behind his oaken desk, ripping apart the desk's drawers, flinging papers all over into giant piles onto the floor. Writing utensils went flying, objects he had kept for ages under precious care thrown carelessly off to the side. A pen that went sailing from his hand tipped over a clock he had on an end table near his desk. It hit the surface of the table with a ding and began to shake. Eglantine was taken aback. She thought for certain that her husband had finally gone mad.  
  
"Ahem . . . Ah, dear." She started, venturing farther into the door. "Are you all right?"  
  
"They're gone!" Paladin replied, outraged. The veins in his forehead struck out under red skin. His eyes were wide with fury, and he puffed again, "They're gone!" He tossed more things onto the floor.  
  
"What's gone, Paladin?"  
  
"The letters!" He ruffled through the bottom drawers. "They were in these drawers not two days ago!"  
  
Eglantine strode over to Paladin, setting aside her bundles of sewing material, and leaned over the desk, peering at him. "What letters, Paladin?"  
  
He seemed to ignore her, continuing his pillaging for awhile. "I bet he found them! He must have! Somehow . . . Eglantine," he began, standing bolt upright. His eyes searched the room wonderingly before turning to her. "Tell the coachman to prepare a carriage. Tell him that I'll be going to Bag End on the hour."  
  
Eglantine shook her head, bonnet strings leaping about her neck. "Not today, Paladin. There is too much flooding on the roads. A carriage won't make it to Hobbiton until tomorrow morning, at the earliest. Messengers can't even get through going either way. You'll have to wait."  
  
"No! No, I will not wait. I've tried to keep him from dishonoring the family. He knows I didn't want him to seeing that, that rogue! Scalawag!"  
  
"Paladin, whatever are you talking about? What rogue? Who will dishonor the family?" Her hand suddenly flew to her head as the pieces of the puzzle snapped into place. She looked to her husband, now the one in outrage. "Paladin Took! You mean to tell me that all this time—"  
  
She did not get to finish as Paladin threw his hands up in the air and retreated hastily out of the room. She growled and followed, marching behind him with enough contempt to bowl over any hobbit that dare tread in her path. Visiting hobbits peeked their heads out of their doors as Paladin stormed by, a beet red tone to his face, and then they ducked back into their rooms when they saw Eglantine roaring after him. "Paladin! You stop right there! All this time you led me to believe that our sweet Peregrine was just fretful and that it was a phase that would move on. You tell me to stop fussing over him and let him grow up. Well, was I ever wrong to believe you! I knew there was something wrong when Meriadoc stopped coming around here. That decent, honest Brandybuck—"  
  
"Don't talk to me about Brandybucks, Eglantine! All of them are horse-wash! They aren't fit to walk on Shire soil! All that boat loving and carousing about gets them nowhere! Look what happens to them, Eglantine! Do you remember what happened to poor Drogo? He was dragged in—marrying Primula! Oh, she was a sweet lady. Remember her?" His jowls quivered with sarcasm. "I warned him not to marry her! I knew something bad would happen! I was only a lad when he got married! Drownded! They found him washed up on the Brandywine, not long after! I had to drink alone for years. I couldn't even look at a nice mug of brew without thinking of him. And Saradoc! What did he do about it, eh? Not much, by my scale. Young Frodo should have never stayed with them, ever! They're all fools! That Saradoc is a fool! That Meriadoc is a fool! And I'll be hanged before I see my son affiliating with one! Brandybucks! Phah! I've dealt with them long enough! My own sister, my own flesh and blood! What did she see in Saradoc? What did she see? That's why I didn't attend their wedding! Their fools! All of them! Trash under my boots!" He inhaled when he paused and continued with a shaking and enraged sob in his voice. "And now my own son has betrayed my wishes! I'm losing all that I have left to them!"  
  
He snatched his coat roughly from the coat rack and threw open the round front door, apathetic that it nearly battered a dent in the wall where it hit. He stormed his way over to the stables and fetched a footman to ready his carriage. Eglantine halted at the doorway and leaned on it, sighing. It had taken years for Paladin to finally accept Drogo's death. She could see now that his contempt for the Brandybucks had not eased along with it. The carriage stopped at the end of the path, and Paladin stepped in as the horses were prepared. Eglantine pushed at her bonnet until her curled hair was loose and strode up to the carriage. When she stopped near the carriage's door, she stood on her tiptoes and peered at Paladin. He turned his face away from her, pretending to have difficulties with a pair of gloves. "Paladin, look at me." Her voice had grown much calmer again, and she spoke gently, but firmly. He sighed and glanced back over at her, meeting her gaze. "You may not like him, Paladin. But Saradoc was once your friend and he is your family, whether you have willed it or no. Please, not for me or for you, but for Pippin, please do not take your anger out on our son." She shook her head, regretfully. "He is only trying to follow his own heart."  
  
Paladin wrung his gloves in his hands. When he spoke, it was in defeat, not consent. "All right, Eglantine." His eyes alighted again, however, with the same ire that had plagued them earlier. "But those Brandybucks will know my fury by the time I'm through with them." He waved to the coachman, and the carriage took off, Paladin only looking forward to the path.  
  
Eglantine crossed her arms, looking after them in the afternoon sunlight, brown eyes narrowed. She puffed resolutely and brushed at her cottony dress. "I'm going after him."

* * *

Berilac wrapped the nearly sodden wool blanket tighter around him, shivering. His hair was just beginning to dry from the river's water, and he speculated just how much he never wanted to see water again. Unfortunately, that was all he did see, since the kitchen's floor was indeed, as Pippin put it, flooded. Merry was stooped over the floor, dragging countless rags through the water and ringing them out in a bucket he had found. Pippin helped him, clearing out the food that was ruined by the water. Luckily, it had only invaded the floor of the pantry, which left another three shelves filled with food. Berilac sighed as he looked at the young Took, now clad in trousers and one of Merry's shirts. He had been a fool, and he admitted it with shame. He not only endangered his own life, but he dragged Pippin into his predicament as well.  
  
If he ever saw a boat again, it would be too soon.  
  
Merry had at least regained some calm after experiencing that trauma. After making sure they had scraped the danger with no serious injuries, he had led them back to Bridgewater and told them to change into dry clothes while he went about to seeing how he could banish the water from the floor. Berilac curled himself farther into the blanket, perched upon a kitchen chair. He had decided to warm up a little before helping Merry clear up the slosh.  
  
They all stood up when the sounds of knocking echoed down the hallway and into the kitchen. Berilac motioned them to stay there and meandered to the front door. He bravely inhaled before swinging open the door. He came face to face with the messenger he had sent out not two days ago.  
  
"Mr. Berilac, sir," the messenger began, holding out an envelope in his gloved hand, "I couldn't deliver the message, sir. There was too much flooding to the east of Hobbiton. All roads are blocked for a few days until the Shirriffs can clear some of it. I'm quite sorry, sir."  
  
Berilac took the envelope, noting that it was indeed his message to Frodo, and grimaced. "Are you certain you can't deliver it today or tomorrow?"  
  
"I've tried every path that will take me into Hobbiton. Everything's closed. Even the mail won't be out for another three days, the Shirriffs are saying."  
  
With a sigh, Berilac shoved the letter into his pocket. "All right, then. Meet me back here in three days. We can try again then." He waved the messenger good-bye and closed the door. Glancing down the hallway, he saw Merry and Pippin standing at the entrance to the kitchen, peering at him. He pulled out the letter and thrust it into the air, a frown evident on his face. "We have got some large problems, friends." 


	24. Trouble with Simpler Things

Chapter 24: Trouble with Simpler Things

Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee sat at on the front doorstep of Bag End, resting in the humidity of the evening. Sam leaned against the hillside, puffing on a long stem of pipe-weed and listening to Frodo read a passage aloud from a book. Once in a while, he looked up to the sky, noting the clouds that floated past the horizon. Frodo would stop on occasion when he needed a drink or was tired of a certain paragraph and went in search of something else to read. He was currently reading from an old journal of Bilbo's that described the long-away forest called Mirkwood and its dangerous, overgrown spiders.

"My Gaffer doesn't care for spiders, much," Sam commented off-handedly. Frodo smiled, glancing at him as he set the book next to him.

"Neither do I, Sam." He laughed, flicking a bug from his trousers. "At least they keep the flies in line."

Their talk was halted when the creaking and bouncing of wheels suddenly appeared down the hill, a pony's canter mixing in. A hobbit carriage, box-shaped with a rectangular bench where the driver sat, trotted slowly into sight and pulled up near the gate. Frodo stood and clutched at his shirt lining, loosening the collar, as Paladin Took emerged, stepped down from the carriage and puffed through the gate up to the doorstep. His greeting snapped with an unfeeling tone. "Good afternoon, Frodo."

"Afternoon, Paladin, sir."

Sam echoed the remark, though Paladin didn't seem to hear.

"Frodo," he started, glancing down at his hands quickly. His words were hesitant, testing almost. "May I please see my son?"

Frodo's eyes widened momentarily, and he looked at Sam. "P-Pippin, you mean?"

"Yes! What other son have I, Frodo? I'm quite sorry to interrupt your studies, but I must speak to him. It is quite urgent." Frodo noticed Paladin's hand, twisting a thick sheet of paper between them to a thin rod. He looked back up in time to see Paladin clench his teeth and narrow his eyes. "He is here, isn't he?"

Once more, Frodo looked at Sam. Sam looked at Frodo, and then snapped his eyes back to Paladin. "Y-Yes. He's here," Sam said quickly, shakily. Frodo nodded at lightning speed.

"Yes, he's in Ba—bed. He's in bed." Frodo swallowed. He didn't know what Pippin had done now, but something told him he was heading for trouble himself. It was his will to protect Pippin that kept him partly steadfast.

Paladin smashed his cane into the ground. "At six in the evening?" Incredulity played upon his face. Frodo bit his lip, but didn't have to come up with a response when Paladin stormed past him. "He wouldn't be in bed this late. Come, Frodo. This is urgent! Where is he?"

Paladin was reaching for the door when Sam took action and dove across a bench and several gardening pots, racing to the fiery master of Tookland. "Well, beggin' your pardon, sir. Pippin—" He stopped and looked at Frodo. The Baggins shrugged. "Pippin ain't....ain't been here.... all day. He.... he...." Sam pushed a finger into his shirt collar and loosened it as though he were suddenly very warm.

Paladin stood tall and nearly seemed to be looking over the stocky hobbit. "Well? Shame on you both to be lying. If he's not it bed, where is he, then?"

"He-he-he went to Hobbiton! Right a few hours ago. Had to buy some vegetables!" Sam smiled, albeit a bit nervously. "That's it. He won't be back for awhile, Master Paladin, s-sir."

Pausing, Paladin glanced down at Sam, an equivocal expression daunting his face. He looked to Frodo and to Bag End, and then back to Sam. "Is that so? Well, then I shall go look for him. You're certain he won't be back for a awhile?"

They both shook their heads. Paladin made what can only be termed as a half sneer half smile and motioned to the driver of the carriage, sweeping past Frodo and Sam. "Thank you, Frodo Baggins. Have a good evening." His hand reached over his shoulder and waved, though he did not look back. He stepped into the carriage, and it resumed its clatter down the roadside. When the carriage had disappeared, Frodo looked to Sam. "Sam, I think you've gotten Pippin further into any mess he may be in now."

"Well, he might just deserved it. Pippin's got two eyes for mischief and two ears for evil, not to mention his hands, Mister Frodo. Probably off somewhere stealing a nice gardener's wheelbarrow and racing down the side of Tookland, mark my words—"

"Sam, if anything, he's probably over at Brandy Hall, right now."

It took a second for Sam to realize the words behind the sentence, and he gulped. "This isn't going to turn out good, is it, Mister Frodo?"

Frodo glanced down at the dirt, his eyelids flitting downward. When he looked up, his eyes shimmered, with worry and sympathy for his relatives. "No, Sam. It may just not, this time."

-

Paladin's eyes searched the horizon from the window of his carriage. He knew for certain now where Pippin was, and he was going to make sure every fiery demon he had miserably chained inside him would be unleashed on Saradoc and his foul crew. He leaned over his seat towards the driver, looking up into the forward window. "We go east, onto Buckland."

The driver turned his head, his eyes stunned. "But, sir. Roads are blocked that way. There's been too much flooding. The ponies won't dare—"

"Just do it, I say! I could see the lie in that gardener's eyes. Pippin hasn't been there at all. I bet Saradoc has just scooted over and taken my son into his stir-crazy household just to irk me to my limits. Oh, he has succeeded!" He sat back, glaring at the clouds beginning to stir once again. "It's going to rain tonight. Hard."

It took them a matter of three hours passing soggy terrain before they hit their first difficulty in the road. A part of the road had sunken beneath the water, but to Paladin and the driver's amusement, there were five Shirriffs and a crew equipped with buckets surrounding the area, three of the Shirriffs waist deep in the middle of the puddle. It was deemed safe enough for the carriage to go through, even though Paladin had to keep his feet from the carriage floor when water began to seep into the carriage itself. He sighed, suddenly wishing upon wishes that he didn't have a son who could cause him so much worry every single moment of every single day. He was tired, worn, damp, hungry, and all around miserable by the time the pony's hooves clattered onto the first stones of the Brandywine Bridge a while later. But his spirit once again awoke to fire when his eyes first spotted the glowing round specters of Brandy Hall's windows, floating in the darkened atmosphere.

-

Saradoc grumbled and tried desperately to snuggle into his pillows when a servant shook him in the still of the deepening night. "Master Saradoc!" His name was called again, another shake rumbling through his shoulders.

"Yeesssssss?" was his simple answer, drawn out and sleepy, muffled by his warm comforter.

"There is someone here, Master, in the sitting room. He demands to see you."

"Who? Who would want to see me at this time of night?" Saradoc slowly turned and sat up, pushing the sheets from his entangled sleeping wear.

"S-sir.... It's Paladin Took."

It took a moment of movement and stretching for Saradoc to connect that name to that face, but when it registered, all but one movement stopped. He suddenly dove onto the other side of the bed and shook Esmeralda awake. When she had been told the news, she stood almost mechanically and grabbed her robe, striding out of their bedroom with Saradoc following at her heels.

With time to stand more regal and moving to his wife's side, Saradoc composed himself enough to remove the stark trepidation from his countenance. They turned the corner and into the sitting room, only to be greeted by Paladin, clothed in his regal green, furiously waving away a servant, standing in an imposing, threatening posture. His head snapped around to face them. His eyes blazed.

There was no room for greetings in this situation, but luckily almost for Saradoc, Paladin quickly erupted. "Where . . ." the Took began, clenching his teeth and narrowing his eyebrows, "is my son?"


	25. It's No Good

A/N: Well, this is the last bit of it. You could say this is the rewritten version of the rewritten version of the written version. I had some computer problems and lost my original, so I had to type it up again from what I remembered, and then decided it was a bit too dramatic and not at all what I wanted. So I cut and chopped and rewrote. I hope you can forgive me for such a long wait. Anyways, onto the rest of this story.

Chapter 25: It's No Good

A candle's light, warm and charming, danced and dispersed the shadows of Merry's bedroom, glowing from its spot on the beside table. Orange battled black on his walls, his eyes following the movement. Merry's own thoughts battled between the sides of his head, discretion and wisdom ramming horns with what Merry mused to be selfishness. He lay propped upon the comforter of his bed, pillows arranged and twisted beneath the crooks of his body, his arms stretched above him, hands holding his head. With a sigh, his gaze lifted from the walls up to the ceiling, just as he overturned a new thought.

Meriadoc had spent all night in this sullen position, sleep dodging his grasp. The morning rays must have been mere hours at bay, ready to begin a day without the rain, or at least Merry hoped. The tumult of his thoughts were enough for a thunderstorm, the only peace lying in the knowledge that Pippin may have found sleep easier in the other room. Pippin was also the cause of his speeding thoughts.

Pippin had to go home eventually. Their time in Bridgewater, though relaxing, was just a temporary respite from their troubles everywhere else. It was foreordained that sooner or later someone would find out, either his father perhaps just happening to visit or the secret suddenly being decoded. Whatever way it happened, he and Pippin were not going to stay together. And it wasn't fair.

Merry rubbed a hand across his eyes. It wasn't fair to _him_. Pippin, however, was still young and needed his family. Merry couldn't take care of him all that well. _Good job of it I'm doing_, he thought sarcastically, remembering the scare he had earlier that day. If something happened to Pippin, Merry didn't feel he would ever recover.

He would have to give him back. As much as he would regret it later on, he knew that their families were divided, perhaps by a stupid and childish reason, but still bitter all the same.

All of these thoughts reminded Merry of an old story he had once been told, a long time ago. Bilbo had told numerous stories of his adventures with Gandalf and the company of dwarves, back before he disappeared at his birthday party. Merry laughed and shook his head at the memory; all of those stories were fairy tales, for certain. There couldn't have been much true about them—some of those stories were too far-fetched for any hobbit, even those with too much ale on their minds. Bilbo always made a very big deal out of one particular adventure he had had, however, and sometimes went into very long variations of this adventure when he was allowed. Most of them were always the same—something about a birthday present given to him by a creature he had met in a cavern. But there was one time, one rainy night when Bilbo looked out into the horizon with a peaked countenance and sighed fixedly, when he told an entirely different version. Bilbo's voice had risen as though he was speaking defensively, as though being confronted by a secret too great to be bared alone.

"He was a foul creature, and he had slunk in the dark for a very long time. He lived near an underground pond and ate live fish and had a little boat he paddled along with his feet. His eyes were huge and glowing in the dark, and he hunched over and whispered to himself in a raspy voice. He was terrible to look upon, but soon I realized that he was a miserable and lonely creature. He had one possession that he truly claimed his own, and it was something that he treasured very much. One day, he lost it and searched a great long time for it. After a time, he realized that this thing he loved had been stolen away." And there, after the soft and slow revelation, Bilbo paused for just an instant, and his eyes hardened just a fragment. His words came as though he was trying to drive across a point. "And he realized . . .he had to let go of his treasure, because his treasure was better off without him."

"Fairy tales," Merry whispered into the dark, his lips testing the sounds. "Like ones I used to tell Pippin."

Standing, defeated, he decided it would all be dealt with in the morning, and for now he would make himself a snack. Snacks always helped with the difficult things in life, he decided. He trudged down the hall, sidestepping a water puddle they had missed, and was nearly to the pantry when the barest sound caught his ear. A gallop, a wheel's creak, and a splash were vague to his ears, but he heard them and held in a breath until his lungs quivered, snaking around the corner and to the round window of the kitchen. He pulled back the curtains Berilac had put up, peering out at the road in the dark, wet night, and slapped them back as though they had stung him.

He blinked against angry tears (or disappointed tears, he didn't know which) and fisted his hands. _This is it, then_, he deemed. _I've lost_. _There's nothing more I can do. Good grace, there's nothing._

He turned and took a very slow step, almost as though his legs had frozen, and then ran off down the hall. The first pounds on the door followed, a shout of his name running out in the night, drawn from his father's tired and lost voice. He squinted his eyes, forced back the tears, and was nearly to Berilac's door when both bedroom doors opened, Berilac blinking tiredly in his half-asleep state, Pippin awake as could be, staring at Merry with sudden knowing eyes, a gaze Merry had hoped he wouldn't see for some time.

He paused and sighed, holding out his hand to Pippin. The Took gave a small, half-smile and held Merry's hand, and they walked back through the halls as Berilac followed to the door. By the time they reached the front passage the banging on the door had grown, voices being carried back and forth. With a last, almost bemused look at Pippin, the tears gone now, Merry reached out and turned the center doorknob, guiding it back. Saradoc, Paladin, and Esmeralda stood there, dressed in their warmer coats and looking exhausted. All six of them paused for just one singular moment before Saradoc began speaking as Paladin strode forward and took Pippin by the arm. Esmeralda pointed behind Merry and said something about packing, which Berilac took off back to his bedroom to do just that.

To Merry's ears, it sounded like a bunch of garble.

"What do you think—"

"You're in serious trouble!"

"You took advantage of our trust—"

"You all could have—"

"Get in the carriage—"

"Sneaking away and dishonoring—"

"You should know better—"

"We were worried—"

"—could be in—"

"—just as I thought—"

Pippin's eyes roved wildly between Paladin and Merry until it looked as though he was a cat watching a pendulum. Merry and Pippin couldn't hold on to each other any longer as Paladin pulled Pippin towards the carriage and Saradoc tugged Merry's shirt collar.

Berilac came back with minutes, holding his and Merry's packs, speeding up his feet with Esmerelda as they followed the two sons and their fathers.

"Do you think things will ever be all right, again, Aunt Esmerelda?"

She frowned but kept her gaze forward. "I think they will be, if I have any say in this."


	26. My Favorite Fairy Tale

Chapter 26: My Favorite Fairy Tale

When both Brandybucks and Tooks arrived once again at Brandy Hall in the wee hours of the morning—each of them tired and lost in their own thoughts and feelings—they strode into the Hall to find Eglantine and her three daughters, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, Merimac Brandybuck, and a gathering of other Tooks and Brandybucks, all standing cramped in their marvelous front chambers. Eglantine Took, when she saw the angry countenance of Paladin and the amazed look on her son's face, strode forward and stood before the gathering. She scanned the faces of the hobbits in the hallway. "We have all come here today to stop a terrible injustice to all of us. Both Brandybucks and Tooks—and others, look, there's Frodo—are here to put up their arms and stop this feud." She paused, frowning at Paladin's smug look, before she continued. "I can't say I've been very helpful, either, and I'm very sorry Esmerelda, dear, for what I've said. You aren't a horrible cook or mother, really. But this feud started with my husband's temper and my child's tears, and that is where it shall end. Paladin—" She stepped forward and took Merry and Pippin by the shoulders and turned them to face Paladin Took.

"Children are the symbol of our beginnings, and these two have held our families together more than we had guessed. They've been together through thick and thin since they were crawling. I don't care if the rest of the Shire views badly upon it. I don't care if it gives our family a worse reputation, and I don't care if every time I go into market I get bad looks. What I don't like the most is when these good hobbits in this room start to fight each other. I don't like it when I can't speak to my own family. I don't like it when I see my son lonely because the best friend he's ever had isn't allowed to see him anymore. I don't blame them for scooting off in the middle of the night to see each other. These two need to be together, and I, for one, will not keep them apart."

There was an agreement and ten from behind her, and every hobbit in the hole stared at Paladin expectedly. Esmerelda smirked at her brother when he suddenly looked defensive and a tad frightened at the same time.

Saradoc put his hand on Paladin's shoulder, fully expecting it to be shrugged off, and was surprised when it wasn't. Paladin, instead, glanced at him and back to his wife.

"Well, you—y-y-you…. You all don't think I . . ." He sputtered and spat and looked dazedly at his wife, but it suddenly occurred to Paladin, after a while of glancing back and forth between Pippin and Merry and among the crowd and his wife and daughters, that he was sorely, very unmistakably outnumbered. And perhaps, just maybe, it was time to put a reign on his beyond-help temper. He looked back to his wife, and then to Esmerelda, to Saradoc, and finally Merry and Pippin. "Well," he started, softly, wistfully. "You win."

Who looked at the other first with the widest smile, no one could say, but Merry and Pippin, within seconds, were lodged in each other's arms. At the moment, no one was going to pull them apart.

Later, when the resulting noise of celebration and relief had settled down, Saradoc slipped off his coat and ran to grab wine and fizz and cordial for all his guests, and had servants pass around all the glasses until the cupboards were bare. Merry and Pippin sat together upon a couch near the center of the room, content to sit there and enjoy the moment, watching their families reunite and celebrate. Their glasses were filled, and before the eventual toast Saradoc was going to proclaim, Pippin leaned his head on Merry's shoulder and whispered, "You know, Merry, I think we should save this story for when we're older. Sort of a thing to tell all the little ones when we're eighty."

"Pfft." Merry smoothed down a nest of Pippin's curly hair and sighed. "It'll be a fairy tale to them. Just like Bilbo's stories."

Pippin shook his head and chuckled, looking around at his sisters laughing and pointing at Berilac, who was being reprimanded by his father, Merimac. "Well, if it turns out to be just a fairy tale," he began, sitting up and throwing his arm around Merry's shoulders, "it will be my favorite fairy tale." Merry gently smiled.

"Attention!" Saradoc scrambled to the front with his glass of wine, and regarding a low bench near him, he stood upon it and raised his glass. "A toast! To good health and happiness, and the friendship and love that will forever keep this family together! To us!"

"TO US!" came the resounding shout, and after a clanking of glasses and smiles all around, the hobbits joined in a drink.

After a moment, Berilac, after getting away from his father and mingling with the Tooks, came to stand behind the couch and leaned his head in between both of theirs. "I heard Farmer Maggot has gotten another dog, recently."

"Ah," Merry said, swirling the drink in his glass, "it's still no match for us."

With as serious a face as he could manage, Pippin murmured, "Watermelons."

The three, in turn, burst out laughing.


End file.
